GXSSCMinerals_And_Energy_ResourcesLS4

Geography – Minerals and Energy Resources
Learning Sheet 4
Review
Check your answer to learning sheet 3. (GX-SSC-Minerals_And_Energy_Resources-LS3)
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Hazards of Mining
Have you ever wondered about the efforts the miners make in making life comfortable for you?
What are the impacts of mining on the health of the miners and the environment?
The dust and noxious fumes inhaled by miners make them vulnerable to pulmonary diseases. The risk of
collapsing mine roofs, inundation and fires in coalmines are a constant threat to miners. The water sources in the
region get contaminated due to mining. Dumping of waste and slurry leads to degradation of land, soil, and increase
in stream and river pollution.
Stricter safety regulations and implementation of environmental laws are essential to prevent mining from
becoming a “killer industry”.
Conservation of minerals:
We all appreciate the strong dependence of industry and agriculture upon mineral deposits and the substances
manufactured from them. The total volume of workable mineral deposits is an insignificant fraction i.e. one per cent
of the earth’s crust. We are rapidly consuming mineral resources that required millions of years to be created and
concentrated. The geological processes of mineral formation are so slow that the rates of replenishment are
infinitely small in comparison to the present rates of consumption. Mineral resources are, therefore, finite and non-
renewable. Rich mineral deposits are our country’s extremely valuable but short-lived possessions. Continued
extraction of ores leads to increasing costs as mineral extraction comes from greater depths along with decrease in
quality. A concerted effort has to be made in order to use our mineral resources in a planned and sustainable
manner. Improved technologies need to be constantly evolved to allow use of low grade ores at low costs. Recycling
of metals, using scrap metals and other substitutes are steps in conserving our mineral resources for the future.
Explain
Do not proceed to the next paragraph without answering the following questions.
a) How does mining affect the health of miners?

b) What is the impact of mining on the environment?
c) What is the result of continued extraction of ores?
d) What can be done to prevent mining from becoming a “killer industry”?
e) Why is conservation of mineral resources essential? Explain any three reasons.
f) How can minerals be conserved?
Read
Rat-Hole Mining.:
Do you know that most of the minerals in India are nationalised and their extraction is possible only after obtaining
due permission from the government? But in most of the tribal areas of the north-east India, minerals are owned by
individuals or communities. In Meghalaya, there are large deposits of coal, iron ore, limestone and dolomite etc. Coal
mining in Jowai and Cherapunjee is done by family member in the form of a long narrow tunnel, known as ‘Rat hole’
mining.
Energy Resources :
Energy is required for all activities. It is needed to cook, to provide light and heat, to propel vehicles and to drive
machinery in industries. Energy can be generated from fuel minerals like coal, petroleum, natural gas, uranium and
from electricity. Energy resources can be classified as conventional and nonconventional sources. Conventional
sources include: firewood, cattle dung cake, coal, petroleum, natural gas and electricity (both hydel and thermal).
Non-conventional sources include solar, wind, tidal, geothermal, biogas and atomic energy. Firewood and cattle
dung cake are most common in rural India. According to one estimate more than 70 per cent energy requirement in
rural households is met by these two ; continuation of these is increasingly becoming difficult due to decreasing
forest area. Moreover, using dung cake too is being discouraged because it consumes most valuable manure which
could be used in agriculture.
Explain
g) What is Rat-hole mining?

h) Why do we need energy?
i) What is meant by conventional sources of energy? Give examples.
j) What is meant by non conventional sources of energy? Give examples.
k) Distinguish between conventional and non conventional sources of energy.
l) What are the common sources of energy in rural India?
Read
Conventional Sources of Energy

Coal:
In India, coal is the most abundantly available fossil fuel. It provides a substantial part of the nation’s energy needs. It
is used for power generation, to supply energy to industry as well as for domestic needs. India is highly dependent
on coal for meeting its commercial energy requirements. As you are already aware that coal is formed due the
compression of plant material over millions of years. Coal, therefore, is found in a variety of forms depending on the
degrees of compression and the depth and time of burial. Decaying plants in swamps produce peat. Which has a low
carbon and high moisture contents and low heating capacity. Lignite is a low grade brown coal, which is soft with
high moisture content. The principal lignite reserves are in Neyveli in Tamil Nadu and are used for generation of
electricity. Coal that has been buried deep and subjected to increased temperatures is bituminous coal. It is the most
popular coal in commercial use. Metallurgical coal is high grade bituminous coal which has a special value for
smelting iron in blast furnaces. Anthracite is the highest quality hard coal. In India coal occurs in rock series of two
main geological ages, namely Gondwana, a little over 200 million years in age and in tertiary deposits which are only
about 55 million years old. The major resources of Gondwana coal, which are metallurgical coal, are located in
Damodar valley (West Bengal-Jharkhand). Jharia, Raniganj, Bokaro are important coalfields. The Godavari,
Mahanadi, Son and Wardha valleys also contain coal deposits. Tertiary coals occur in the north eastern states of
Meghalaya, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland. Remember coal is a bulky material, which loses weight on use
as it is reduced to ash. Hence, heavy industries and thermal power stations are located on or near the coalfields.
India: Distribution of coal, oil and natural gas

Explain
m) What are the uses of coal?

n) How is coal formed?
o) Which is the most popular coal in commercial use?
p) What are the four main types of coal found in India?
q) Where do we fine Gondwana age coal in India?
r) Where do we find tertiary coals in india?

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Geography – Minerals and Energy Resources

Check your answer to learning sheet 3. (GX-SSC-Minerals_And_Energy_Resources-LS3)

a) How does mining affect the health of miners?

g) What is Rat-hole mining?

Conventional Sources of Energy

India: Distribution of coal, oil and natural gas

m) What are the uses of coal?

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