Q40. Which of the following minerals is an ore of iron?
[Jharkhand Public Service Commission, 19 September 2021]
(A) Malachite
(B) Bauxite
(C) Haematite
(D) Chromite
Answer: (C) Haematite
Explanation: Haematite is ferric oxide and is among the most important ores used to produce iron. Malachite is a copper mineral, bauxite is the main aluminium ore, and chromite contains chromium. The association between chemical composition and usable metal determines an ore’s classification.
Q39. Which mineral-deposit pair is correctly matched?
[RPSC RAS Preliminary Examination, 27 October 2021]
(A) Manganese — Bailadila
(B) Bauxite — Lohardaga
(C) Iron ore — Koderma
(D) Mica — Talcher
Answer: (B) Bauxite — Lohardaga
Explanation: Lohardaga in Jharkhand is known for bauxite. Bailadila is an iron-ore area, Koderma is associated with mica, and Talcher is a coalfield. These contrasting place–mineral associations make the correct answer identifiable from standard Indian mineral-location maps.
Q38. At which hills were important iron-ore deposits identified for the early Indian steel industry?
[SSC GD Constable, 9 December 2021]
(A) Rajhara Hills
(B) Bailadila Hills
(C) Boria Tibbu
(D) Eklama Hills
Answer: (A) Rajhara Hills
Explanation: The Rajhara Hills in present-day Chhattisgarh are associated with iron-ore deposits that supported steel industry development. Their location in the central Indian iron-ore belt helped supply the Bhilai area. Discovery and transportation of ore have long influenced steel-plant siting.
Q37. Which fuel has historically supplied the largest share of India’s electricity generation among these choices?
[SSC Stenographer, 15 November 2021]
(A) Coal
(B) Diesel
(C) Natural gas
(D) Nuclear fuel
Answer: (A) Coal
Explanation: Coal has historically been the dominant fuel for electricity generation in India because of extensive domestic coalfields and established thermal power capacity. Diesel, natural gas and nuclear fuel also generate electricity, but their contribution has generally been smaller in the referenced period.
Q36. Which plateau is popularly called the mineral storehouse of India?
[MPPSC State Service Preliminary Examination, 2020]
(A) Chota Nagpur Plateau
(B) Bundelkhand Plateau
(C) Malwa Plateau
(D) Baghelkhand Plateau
Answer: (A) Chota Nagpur Plateau
Explanation: The Chota Nagpur Plateau is exceptionally rich in coal, iron ore, copper, mica and associated minerals. Major steel and engineering centres developed in and around this region. Its geological formations and nearby coal basins make it a focal point of mineral-based industry.
Q35. Which of the following are designated major minerals in India?
(1) Bentonite
(2) Chromite
(3) Kyanite
(4) Sillimanite
[UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination, 2020]
(A) 1 and 2 only
(B) 4 only
(C) 1 and 3 only
(D) 2, 3 and 4 only
Answer: (D) 2, 3 and 4 only
Explanation: Chromite, kyanite and sillimanite were treated as major minerals in the classification relevant to the examination, while bentonite was classed as a minor mineral. Statutory mineral categories affect administration, concessions and regulation; they are not simply based on economic value.
Q34. Which mineral is commonly identified as a zinc-carbonate ore?
[RPSC Second Grade Teacher, 2019]
(A) Erythrite
(B) Calamine
(C) Dolomite
(D) Zincite
Answer: (B) Calamine
Explanation: Calamine is the traditional name associated with zinc ores, notably zinc carbonate, smithsonite. Erythrite is cobalt-bearing, dolomite contains calcium and magnesium carbonates, and zincite is zinc oxide. Such mineral names are useful when identifying ores in Rajasthan’s zinc-bearing regions.
Q33. Which is India’s largest well-known lignite coalfield among the options?
[UPPSC Block Education Officer Preliminary Examination, 2019]
(A) Singrauli
(B) Makum
(C) Karanpura
(D) Neyveli
Answer: (D) Neyveli
Explanation: Neyveli in Tamil Nadu is one of India’s largest and most famous lignite deposits. Lignite is relatively young brown coal with a lower heating value than bituminous coal. It has supported extensive local thermal power and industrial development.
Q32. In which district of Chhattisgarh are bauxite deposits found among these options?
[Chhattisgarh PSC Preliminary Examination, 2019]
(A) Raipur
(B) Durg
(C) Kondagaon
(D) Dhamtari
Answer: (C) Kondagaon
Explanation: Kondagaon district has bauxite-bearing formations in Chhattisgarh’s plateau region. Other bauxite occurrences are distributed across the state’s upland districts. Bauxite develops largely through prolonged chemical weathering and is economically important as the principal aluminium ore.
Q31. Malanjkhand is associated with the production of which mineral?
[MPPSC State Service Preliminary Examination, 2018]
(A) Lignite
(B) Copper
(C) Diamond
(D) Iron ore
Answer: (B) Copper
Explanation: Malanjkhand is an important copper-mining locality in Balaghat district of Madhya Pradesh. The ore is processed to recover copper for electrical and industrial applications. It contrasts with Panna’s diamond mining and with iron-ore regions of central India.
