Mineral Based Industries in India

Mineral based industries are crucial components of India’s industrial landscape, with sectors like iron and steel, aluminium smelting, fertiliser, petrochemicals, cement, and automobile manufacturing playing key roles. These industries rely on various raw materials and are strategically located across different regions of the country, contributing significantly to economic growth and development.

Overview of Mineral Based Industries and Economic Regions

1. Iron and Steel Industry

• Factors: 
• Raw material: Bulk inputs of the iron & steel industry are iron ore (gross/ weight-loss raw material), coal (fuel), limestone (flux) & water (required for cooling & worker safety).
  • Mostly large integrated steel plants are located close to the source of raw materials, as they use large quantities of heavy and weight losing raw materials.
• Distribution in India: Concentration of Iron and steel industry in Chota Nagpur region – Presence of Iron ore & coal in this region. 
  • Example: TISCO at Jamshedpur
  • Currently, all the important steel producing centers such as Bhilai, Durgapur, Burnpur, Jamshedpur, Rourkela, Bokaro are situated in a region that spreads over four states — West Bengal, Jharkhand, Odisha and Chhattisgarh. 
  • Bhadravati and Vijay Nagar in Karnataka, Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh, Salem in Tamil Nadu are other important steel centres utilizing local resources.
• Purvodaya Initiative (2020): Set up steel plants in Eastern india

• China is the largest steel producer and consumer in the world.

2. Aluminium Smelting

• It is light, resistant to corrosion, a good conductor of heat, malleable and becomes strong when it is mixed with other metals.
• It is used to manufacture aircraft, utensils and wires.
• Aluminum smelting plants in India are located in Odisha, West Bengal, Kerala, Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu.

3. Fertilizer Industry

• About 70% of units producing nitrogenous fertilizers use naphtha as basic raw material. That’s why they are located near oil refineries.
• Phosphatic fertilizer plants are dependent on mineral phosphate which is largely imported but reserves are also found in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Jharkhand.
• Potash is entirely imported since the country lacks any reserves of commercially usable potash or potassium compounds in any form.
• Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, and Kerala collectively contribute to half of the total fertilizer production.
• Hajira – Vijaipur – Jagdishpur gas pipeline has given birth to plants at Vijaipur, Jagdishpur, Babrala etc.

4. Petrochemical Industries

• Derived from crude petroleum, Mumbai is the hub of the petrochemical industries.
• It is divided into four sub-groups: (i) polymers, (ii) synthetic fibers, (iii) elastomers, and (iv) surfactant intermediate.
• Ingredients: Polymers are made from ethylene and propylene. 
• Polymers are used as raw materials in the plastic industry; 
• About 75 percent of these units are in the small scale sector.

6. Cement Industry 

• It requires bulky and heavy raw materials like limestone, silica and gypsum
• Hence, It is therefore located close to the raw material source regions (Limestone rich regions).

7. Automobile Industry

• Key automotive manufacturing hubs in India include Delhi, Gurugram, Mumbai, Pune, Chennai, Kolkata, Lucknow, Indore, Hyderabad, Jamshedpur, and Bengaluru.

Major Industrial Regions

• Mumabi-Pune Region

• Hugli Region
• Bengaluru-Tamil Nadu Region
• Gujarat Region
• Chotanagpur Region
• Vishakhapatnam-Guntur Region
• Gurgaon-Delhi-Meerut Region
• Kollam-Thiruvananthapuram Region

Conclusion

• India’s mineral based industries form the backbone of its industrial infrastructure, providing essential materials for construction, manufacturing, and transportation sectors. 
• With their widespread presence and diverse contributions, these industries drive employment, innovation, and economic prosperity across the nation, shaping India’s industrial landscape and fostering sustainable development.