Types of Mineral Resources
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- On the basis of chemical and physical properties, minerals may be grouped under two main categories of metallics and non-metallics.
- Metallic minerals are the sources of metals. Iron ore, copper, gold produce metal and are included in this category.
- Metallic minerals are further divided into ferrous and non-ferrous metallic minerals.
- All those minerals which have iron content are ferrous such as iron ore itself and those which do not have iron content are non-ferrous such as copper, bauxite, etc.
- Non-metallic minerals are either organic in origin such as fossil fuels also known as mineral fuels which are derived from the buried animal and plant life such as coal and petroleum. Other types of non-metallic minerals are inorganic in origin such as mica, limestone and graphite, etc.
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Agencies involved in the exploration of minerals
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- In India, systematic surveying, prospecting and exploration for minerals is undertaken by the Geological Survey of India (GSI), Oil and Natural Gas Commission (ONGC), Mineral Exploration Corporation Ltd. (MECL), National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC), Indian Bureau of Mines (IBM), Bharat Gold Mines Ltd. (BGML), Hindustan Copper Ltd. (HCL), National Aluminum Company Ltd. (NALCO) and the Departments of Mining and Geology in various states
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Distribution of Minerals in India
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- Most of the metallic minerals in India occur in the peninsular plateau region in the old crystalline rocks.
- Over 97 per cent of coal reserves occur in the valleys of Damodar, Sone, Mahanadi and Godavari.
- Petroleum reserves are located in the sedimentary basins of Assam, Gujarat and Mumbai High i.e. off-shore region in the Arabian Sea.
- New reserves have been located in the Krishna-Godavari and Kaveri basins.
- Most of the major mineral resources occur to the east of a line linking Mangalore and Kanpur.
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