Ferrous Minerals


Ferrous minerals such as iron ore, manganese, chromite, etc., provide a strong base for the development of metallurgical industries. 
 
IRON ORE: 
  • About 95 per cent of total reserves of iron ore are located in the States of Odisha, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Goa, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.
  • In Odisha iron ore occurs in a series of hill ranges in Sundergarh, Mayurbhanj and Jhar. The important mines include: Gurumahisani, Sulaipet, Badampahar (Mayurbhanj), Kiruburu (Kendujhar) and Bonai (Sundergarh).
  • Jharkhand has some of the oldest iron ore mines like Noamundi and Gua (Singhbhum district) and most of the iron and steel plants are located around them.UPSC Prelims 2024 dynamic test series
  • This belt further extends to Durg, Dantewara and Bailadila in Chhattisgarh.
  • In Karnataka, iron ore deposits occur in Sandur-Hospet area of Ballari district, Baba Budan hills and Kudremukh in Chikkamagaluru district and parts of Shivamogga, Chitradurg and Tumakuru districts.
  • The districts of Chandrapur, Bhandara and Ratnagiri in Maharashtra, Karimnagar and Warangal district of Telangana, Kurnool, Cuddapah and Anantapur districts of Andhra Pradesh, Salem and Nilgiris districts of Tamil Nadu are other iron mining regions.
  • Goa has also emerged as an important producer of iron ore.

FERROUS MINERALS
 
MANGANESE: 
  • Manganese is an important raw material for smelting of iron ore and also used for manufacturing Ferro alloys.
  • Manganese deposits are found in almost all geological formations; however, it is mainly associated with Dharwar system.
  • Odisha is the leading producer of Manganese. Major mines in Odisha are located in the central part of the iron ore belt of India, particularly in Bonai, Kendujhar, Sundergarh, Gangpur, Koraput, Kalahandi and Bolangi.
  • Karnataka is another major producer and here the mines are located in Dharwar, Ballari, Belagavi, North Canara, Chikkmagaluru, Shivamogga, Chitradurg and Tumakuru.
  • Maharashtra is also an important producer of manganese, which is mined in Nagpur, Bhandara and Ratnagiri districts. The disadvantage to these mines is that they are located far from steel plants.
  • The manganese belt of Madhya Pradesh extends in a belt in Balaghat-Chhindwara-Nimar- Mandla and Jhabua districts.
  • Telangana, Goa, and Jharkhand are other minor producers of manganese.

Any suggestions or correction in this article - please click here ([email protected])

Related Posts: