Mineral Resource

The Assertion is Correct: India possesses domestic uranium deposits in regions such as the Singhbhum Shear Zone (Jharkhand) and the Cuddapah Basin (Andhra Pradesh). Despite these reserves, coal remains the primary source of electricity in India, accounting for over 70% of the total power generation.

The Reason is Incorrect: Commercial electricity production does not require 60% enrichment. India's Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors (PHWRs) use natural uranium (0.7% U-235) as fuel, while Light Water Reactors (LWRs) typically use Low Enriched Uranium (LEU) enriched to 3-5%. Uranium enriched to 60% or more is classified as Highly Enriched Uranium (HEU), which is used for research reactors or naval propulsion, not standard power plants.

The Reason is factually incorrect and does not explain the Assertion.

* Ilmenite (FeTiO3) and Rutile (TiO2) are both minerals that contain high concentrations of titanium.

* Titanium is a strong and lightweight metal known for its excellent corrosion resistance and high strength-to-weight ratio. It is widely used in various industries, including aerospace, automotive, medical, and construction.

* In India, certain coastal tracts are known for their significant ilmenite and rutile deposits. Hence these minerals are also called beach sand minerals. These minerals are commonly found in beach sand deposits and are extracted through beach sand mining operations. The extracted ilmenite and rutile are processed to obtain titanium dioxide (TiO2), which is then further refined to produce metallic titanium.

* Beach sand is rich in seven heavy minerals—ilmenite, leucoxene, rutile, zircon, sillimanite, garnet and monazite.

Monazite is a brown crystalline mineral consisting of cerium, lanthanum, other rare earth elements, and thorium. Monazite usually occurs in small, isolated crystals or grains that are resistant to weathering and become concentrated in soils.

Statements 1 and 2 are correct. Monazite is a major source of rare earths and thorium. It yields several rare-earth elements, such as neodymium and praseodymium. Both of these are in demand internationally for making high-performance rare-earth magnets (components of power wind turbines, electric vehicles and robotics)

Statement 3 is incorrect. Though monazite is found in most coastal areas of India. It is questionable to be found along the entire coast. The main mines are found along the coasts of southern India in Kerala, Tamil Nadu and in Orissa.

Statement 4 is correct. Export of monazite without a license from AERB is a violation of the Atomic Energy (Radiation Protection) Rules 2004. Indian Rare Earths Limited (IREL), a wholly owned Public Sector Undertaking of the Government of India (GOI) under DAE, is the only entity that has been permitted to produce and process monazite and handle it for domestic use as well as for export.

The correct statement is 3 only.

Statement 1 is incorrect. Under the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Act of 2015, state governments conduct auctions for non-coal mine licenses.

Statement 2 is incorrect. Both Andhra Pradesh and Jharkhand have gold deposits and ongoing mining activities.

Statement 3 is correct. Rajasthan is known for its rich iron ore deposits and mining.


Shale gas is a natural gas that is found trapped within shale formations.

- In India, shale gas resources are found in several regions. - The Cambay Basin, located in western India, is one of the oldest and most productive sedimentary basins in India and has been a major source of conventional oil and gas. - The Cauvery Basin and Krishna-Godavari Basin are also known to have shale gas resources.


Therefore, all three basins mentioned in the options are known to have shale gas resources. Hence, the correct answer is (d) 1, 2 and 3.

India has sufficient reserves of iron ore, a key raw material for steel production. However, it lacks coking coal, a specific type of coal essential for the steel-making process.

Saltpetre (option A) and rock phosphate (option B) are not directly used in steel production.

Major minerals are those specified in the first schedule appended in the MMDR Act. There is no official definition for major minerals in the MMDR Act.

1. Bentonite is a minor mineral. It is used in drilling mud, foundry sand, and civil engineering applications.

2. Chromite is a major mineral. It is the only ore of chromium, essential for stainless steel and alloy manufacturing.

3. Kyanite is a major mineral. It is a refractory mineral used in ceramics and high-temperature industries.

4. Sillimanite is a major mineral. It is also a refractory mineral with applications in metallurgy and industrial furnaces.

Therefore, Chromite, Kyanite and Sillimanite are major minerals, whereas Bentonite is a minor mineral.

Therefore, the correct answer is D.

Statement 1 is incorrect: Coal bed methane is indeed pure methane gas extracted from coal seams. However, shale gas is not a mixture of propane and butane only. Shale gas is primarily composed of methane, similar to coal bed methane, and can be extracted from fine-grained sedimentary rocks, specifically shale formations. So, the first part of the statement is correct, but the second part is incorrect.

Statement 2 is incorrect: It's not accurate to say that no shale gas sources have been found in India. While it's true that coal-bed methane sources are abundant in India, shale gas sources have also been identified, although their exploitation is at a nascent stage compared to coal-bed methane.

Therefore, neither of the statements is entirely correct.

Statement 1 is incorrect: Natural gas in India is mostly found in Assam, Gujarat, and offshore basins (like Mumbai High). Gondwana beds are primarily coal-bearing formations, not major sources of natural gas.

Statement 2 is correct: Koderma district in Jharkhand is known as the "mica capital of India".

Statement 3 is incorrect: Dharwar rocks (in Karnataka and Maharashtra) are ancient metamorphic rocks, not petroleum-bearing formations.