Non-ferrous Minerals
India is poorly endowed with non-ferrous metallic minerals except bauxite.
BAUXITE
- It is the ore, which is used in manufacturing of aluminium.
- It is found mainly in tertiary deposits and is associated with laterite rocks occurring extensively either on the plateau or hill ranges of peninsular India and also in the coastal tracts of the country.
- Odisha (also the leading producer of manganese in India) happens to be the largest producer of Bauxite. Kalahandi and Sambalpur are the leading producers. The other two areas which have been increasing their production are Bolangir and Koraput. Gujarat, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra are other major producers.
- Chhattisgarh has bauxite deposits in Amarkantak plateau while Katni- Jabalpur area and Balaghat in M.P. have important deposits of bauxite.
- Kolaba, Thane, Ratnagiri, Satara, Pune and Kolhapur in Maharashtra are important producers.
- Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Goa are minor producers of bauxite.
COPPER
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Copper is an indispensable metal in the electrical industry for making wires, electric motors, transformers and generators.
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It is alloyable, malleable and ductile. It is also mixed with gold to provide strength to jewelry.
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The Copper deposits mainly occur in Singh bhum district in Jharkhand, Balaghat district in Madhya Pradesh and Jhunjhunu and Alwar districts in Rajasthan.
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Minor producers of Copper are Agnigundala in Guntur District (Andhra Pradesh), Chitradurg and Hasan districts (Karnataka) and South Arcot district (Tamil Nadu).
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Hindustan Copper Limited (HCL) is the only domestic producer of Copper Ore.