India’s Mineral Distribution and Economic Significance

India’s mineral distribution showcases a concentration of valuable resources predominantly in the peninsular plateau region, with significant reserves of coal, metallic minerals, and petroleum. The North-Eastern Plateau, South-Western Plateau, and North-Western Region are the primary belts where these resources are found, with each region exhibiting unique mineral compositions and economic significance.

Mineral Distribution in India’s Peninsular Plateau

• Geological Origins: Bulk of the valuable minerals are products of pre-paleozoic age that are mainly associated with metamorphic and igneous rocks of peninsular India. 

• • The vast alluvial plain tract of north India is devoid of minerals of economic use.
• Peninsular Rocks: contain reserves of coal, metallic minerals (most of the reserves in India occur here in old crystalline rocks), mica and many other non-metallic minerals. 
• Sedimentary Rocks: on the western and eastern flanks of the peninsula, in Gujarat and Assam, off-shore-areas near Mumbai Coast (Mumbai High) have most of the petroleum deposits. 
• Metallic Minerals: are primarily found in the peninsular plateau region within old crystalline rocks.
• Petroleum Reserves: found in sedimentary basins of Assam, Gujarat, and Mumbai High in the Arabian Sea.
  • New Petroleum Reserves: discovered in Krishna-Godavari and Kaveri basins.
• Mangaluru-Kanpur Line: Major mineral Resources found mainly in the east of a line connecting Mangaluru and Kanpur.
• Minerals are generally concentrated in three broad belts in India. These belts are:

The North-Eastern Plateau Region:  

• Geographic Spread: Chotanagpur (Jharkhand), Orissa Plateau, West Bengal and parts of Chhattisgarh
• Concentration of Coal Reserves: Over 97% of coal reserves occur in the valleys of Damodar, Sone, Mahanadi and Godavari.
• Abundance of Mineral Resources: It has a variety of minerals viz. iron ore, coal, manganese, bauxite, mica;  
  • major iron and steel industries are located in this region. 

The South-Western Plateau Region: 

• Geographic Spread: This belt extends over Karnataka, Goa and contiguous Tamil Nadu uplands and Kerala. 
• Rich in ferrous metals and bauxite.
• Contains high grade iron ore, manganese and limestone. Goa has iron ore deposits.
• Lacks coal deposits except Neyveli lignite.
• Kerala has deposits of monazite and thorium, bauxite clay. 
• Not diverse mineral deposits as  as the north-eastern belt

The North-Western Region

• Geographic Spread: This belt extends along Aravali in Rajasthan and part of Gujarat and minerals are associated with the Dharwar system of rocks.  
• Copper and Zinc are major minerals.
• Rajasthan is rich in building stones 
  • Examples: sandstone, granite, marble. 
• Gypsum and Fuller’s earth deposits are also extensive. 
• Dolomite and limestone provide raw materials for the cement industry. 
• Gujarat is known for its petroleum deposits. 
• Both Gujarat and Rajasthan have rich sources of salt.

The Himalayan Belt

• Copper, lead, zinc, cobalt and tungsten occur in both the eastern and western parts. Assam Valley has mineral oil deposits. 

Conclusion

• India’s mineral distribution reflects a significant concentration of resources, particularly in the peninsular plateau region. With abundant reserves of coal, metallic minerals, and petroleum, this region, along with the North-Eastern and North-Western belts, plays a key role in India’s economic development. 
• The diverse mineral compositions in these regions contribute to various industries, from iron and steel to cement and petroleum, highlighting the crucial role of mineral resources in India’s growth trajectory.

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