world distribution of mineral oil and coal notes
Answers
Answer:
There are over three thousand different minerals.
On the basis of composition, minerals are classified
mainly as metallic and non-metallic minerals (Fig. 3.2).
Minerals
Metallic
Ferrous
Non-metallic
Non-ferrous
Fig. 3.2: Classification of Minerals
Extraction of Minerals
Mining
Open cast
mining
Drilling
Shaft
mining
Quarrying
Fig. 3.3: Extraction of Minerals
Metallic minerals contain metal in raw form. Metals are
hard substances that conduct heat and electricity and
have a characteristic lustre or shine. Iron ore, bauxite,
manganese ore are some examples. Metallic minerals
may be fer rous or non-ferrous. Ferrous minerals like
iron ore, manganese and chromites contain iron. A
non-ferrous mineral does not contain iron but may contain
some other metal such as gold, silver, copper or lead.
Non-metallic minerals do not contain metals.
Limestone, mica and gypsum are examples of such
minerals. The mineral fuels like coal and petroleum are
also non-metallic minerals.
Minerals can be extracted by mining, drilling or
quarrying (Fig 3.3).
The process of taking out minerals from rocks buried
under the earth’s surface is called mining. Minerals that
lie at shallow depths are taken out by removing the surface
layer; this is known as open-cast mining. Deep bores, called
shafts, have to be made to reach mineral deposits that lie
at great depths. This is called shaft mining. Petroleum
and natural gas occur far below the earth’s surface. Deep
wells are bored to take them out, this is called drilling
(Fig 3.4). Minerals that lie near the surface are simply dug
out, by the process known as quarrying.
Fig. 3.4: Off shore
drilling of oil
Mineral and Power Resources 23
2021–22
24 Resources and Development
Distribution of Minerals
Minerals occur in different types of rocks. Some are
found in igneous rocks, some in metamorphic rocks
while others occur in sedimentary rocks. Generally,
metallic minerals are found in igneous and metamorphic
rock formations that form large plateaus. Iron-ore in
north Sweden, copper and nickel deposits in Ontario,
Canada, iron, nickel, chromites and platinum in South
Africa are examples of minerals found in igneous and
metamorphic rocks. Sedimentary rock formations of
plains and young fold mountains contain non-metallic
minerals like limestone. Limestone deposits of Caucasus
region of France, manganese deposits of Georgia and
Ukraine and phosphate beds of Algeria are some
examples. Mineral fuels such as coal and petroleum are
also found in the sedimentary strata.
Asia
China and India have large iron ore deposits.
The continent produces more than half of the world’s tin.
Do you know?
You can always tell
if a rock contains
copper because
then the rock looks
blue in colour.
Fig. 3.5: World: Distribution of Iron, Copper and Bauxite
2021–22
Mineral and Power Resources 25
Do you know?
Switzerland has
no known mineral
deposit in it.
Let’s do
Identify the
Canadian Shield,
the Appalachians,
Western Cordilleras
and Lake Superior
with the help of an
atlas.
China, Malaysia and Indonesia are among the world’s
leading tin producers. China also leads in production of
lead, antimony and tungsten. Asia also has deposits of
manganese, bauxite, nickel, zinc and copper.
Europe
Europe is the leading producer of iron-ore in the world.
The countries with large deposits of iron ore are Russia,
Ukraine, Sweden and France. Minerals deposits of
copper, lead, zinc, manganese and nickel are found in
eastern Europe and European Russia.
North America
The mineral deposits in North America are located in
three zones: the Canadian region north of the Great
Lakes, the Appalachian region and the mountain ranges
of the west. Iron ore, nickel, gold, uranium and copper
are mined in the Canadian Shield Region, coal in the
Appalachians region. Western Cordilleras have vast
deposits of copper, lead, zinc, gold and silver
Explanation: