Minerals of India: Metallic and Non-Metallic: RAS Prelims MCQs
51 RAS Prelims MCQs on the minerals of India cover metallic and non-metallic minerals, coal and petroleum. The explanations link each mineral to its geology, its leading States and its use: iron ore grades, manganese, copper at Khetri, chromite at Sukinda, mica, limestone, gypsum and the oil and gas basins.
Practice questions based on the RPSC RAS Prelims syllabus. They follow the exam pattern but are not past-paper questions.
Showing 21–30 of 51 questions
RAS PrelimsIndian Geography · Minerals of India: Metallic and Non-Metallic
Q21. Given below are two statements, one labelled as Assertion (A) and the other labelled as Reason (R): Assertion (A): Limestone deposits are heavily sought after by the cement manufacturing industry. Reason (R): Limestone is the basic raw material required for the production of cement clinker. Select the correct answer from the codes given below:
Explanation
Limestone is the fundamental raw material used in the cement industry. It provides the necessary calcium carbonate that is processed at high temperatures to create cement clinker. Because of this essential role, cement manufacturing plants are consistently located near large limestone deposits to ensure a steady supply. The geological presence of limestone thus directly dictates the location and feasibility of cement production.
RAS PrelimsIndian Geography · Minerals of India: Metallic and Non-Metallic
Q22. Mica is extensively utilized in the electrical and electronic industries primarily because of which unique combination of properties?
Explanation
Mica is highly valued in the electrical and electronic industries due to its unique physical and chemical properties. It possesses excellent dielectric strength, low power loss, and a high resistance to high voltage. These characteristics allow mica to function as an effective insulator in various components like capacitors and high-pressure steam boilers, where maintaining electrical stability under thermal stress is critical.
RAS PrelimsIndian Geography · Minerals of India: Metallic and Non-Metallic
Q23. Match List-I with List-II and select the correct answer using the codes given below:
Non-Metallic Mineral
Major Industrial Use
A. Limestone
i. Plaster of Paris and Cement retarder
B. Mica
ii. Electrical insulation
C. Rock Phosphate
iii. Superphosphate fertilizers
D. Gypsum
iv. Cement clinker
Codes:
Explanation
Non-metallic minerals serve specific industrial functions. Limestone is used for manufacturing cement clinker. Mica provides essential electrical insulation for high-voltage equipment. Rock phosphate is a primary ingredient in the production of superphosphate fertilizers. Gypsum is used in making Plaster of Paris and acts as a retarder in cement to control the setting time, ensuring the material remains workable during construction.
RAS PrelimsIndian Geography · Minerals of India: Metallic and Non-Metallic
Q24. Which of the following statements correctly highlights the significance of Chromite deposits in Odisha?
Explanation
Chromite deposits in Odisha are of immense industrial importance primarily due to their metallurgical applications. The mineral is used to produce ferro-chrome, which is essential for manufacturing stainless steel and other corrosion-resistant alloys. Additionally, chromite is used to make refractory bricks that line high-temperature furnaces, demonstrating its critical role in heavy industry and the metallurgical processing of various metallic products.
RAS PrelimsIndian Geography · Minerals of India: Metallic and Non-Metallic
Q25. Consider the following statements about Mica distribution in India: I. Jharkhand is a leading producer with the Koderma-Gaya-Hazaribagh belt being predominant. II. In Rajasthan, the major mica producing area is situated around Ajmer and Bhilwara. III. Andhra Pradesh is known for the Nellore mica belt. IV. Mica occurs exclusively in the form of massive, unbreakable sedimentary blocks. V. India is one of the world’s leading exporters of sheet mica. Which of the above statements is/are correct?
Explanation
India is a prominent producer and exporter of sheet mica. Leading regions include the Koderma belt in Jharkhand, the Nellore belt in Andhra Pradesh, and areas around Ajmer in Rajasthan. Mica occurs as thin sheets within igneous and metamorphic rocks, not as massive sedimentary blocks. Its ease of splitting into very thin, flexible layers is a key physical characteristic for industrial use.
RAS PrelimsIndian Geography · Minerals of India: Metallic and Non-Metallic
Q26. Which of the following regions is an exception and is NOT recognised as a significant mica-producing belt in India?
Explanation
Koderma, Nellore and Bhilwara are mica-producing areas. Digboi is known for oil in Assam, so it is not a mica belt.
RAS PrelimsIndian Geography · Minerals of India: Metallic and Non-Metallic
Q27. A cement manufacturing plant is typically established close to limestone quarries rather than the market. This concept application reflects that limestone is a:
Explanation
Cement plants are built near limestone quarries because limestone is a weight-losing, bulky raw material, and moving it would cost more than moving the cement.
RAS PrelimsIndian Geography · Minerals of India: Metallic and Non-Metallic
Q28. Given below are two statements: Statement I: Limestone is found in association with rocks composed of calcium carbonates or calcium and magnesium carbonates. Statement II: Limestone is found strictly in the igneous rock formations of the Peninsular plateau. Select the correct option:
Explanation
Limestone is found with rocks made of calcium carbonate or calcium and magnesium carbonates, so Statement I is correct. It occurs in sedimentary rocks, not strictly in igneous ones, so Statement II is incorrect.
RAS PrelimsIndian Geography · Minerals of India: Metallic and Non-Metallic
Q29. Which of the following pairs correctly matches a famous Mica belt with its respective state?
Explanation
Koderma is a mica belt in Jharkhand. Nellore is in Andhra Pradesh, Ajmer in Rajasthan and Hazaribagh in Jharkhand, so the other pairs are wrong.
RAS PrelimsIndian Geography · Minerals of India: Metallic and Non-Metallic
Q30. Rajasthan dominates the Indian production of Gypsum. Which of the following districts in Rajasthan is renowned for having the largest gypsum deposits?
Explanation
Rajasthan dominates India’s gypsum production, and Bikaner district has the largest deposits, with Jaisalmer and Nagaur also important.
Answer key for these questions
Q
Correct answer
21
(a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.
22
(b) High di-electric strength and resistance to high voltage
23
(a) A-iv, B-ii, C-iii, D-i
24
(c) Metallurgical use for stainless steel and refractory bricks.
25
(a) I, II, III and V only
26
(c) Digboi region
27
(b) Weight-losing, bulky raw material
28
(c) Statement I is correct but Statement II is incorrect
29
(a) Koderma - Jharkhand
30
(c) Bikaner
Key facts from Minerals of India: Metallic and Non-Metallic
Major metallic minerals are linked with ancient crystalline and metamorphic rocks; magnetite is the highest-grade iron ore.
The Khetri copper complex in Jhunjhunu is one of the oldest in India; the Malanjkhand copper deposits are in Madhya Pradesh.
The Zawar mines in Rajasthan are known for lead and zinc.
Madhya Pradesh is the largest producer of manganese ore; the Sukinda Valley holds over 95 per cent of India’s chromite.
Limestone is a weight-losing, bulky raw material, so cement plants sit near quarries.
Rock phosphate is mined at Jhamarkotra in Udaipur; gypsum is used to reclaim alkaline and saline soils; the Barmer basin and the Krishna-Godavari Basin are important oil and gas areas.
Frequently asked questions
How many RAS Prelims practice MCQs are there on Minerals of India: Metallic and Non-Metallic?
This page has 51 practice MCQs on Minerals of India: Metallic and Non-Metallic (Indian Geography). Each has the correct answer, and most have an explanation.
Which iron ore has the highest iron content?
Magnetite, with the highest iron content, followed by hematite, limonite and siderite. India has large deposits of hematite and magnetite, mostly in Odisha, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Karnataka, and Indian ore is exported as well as used in domestic steel plants.
Where is the Sukinda Valley and what is it known for?
The Sukinda Valley is in Odisha and holds over 95 per cent of India’s chromite reserves. Chromite is used to make stainless steel and other alloys, and Odisha is by far the largest chromite producer.
Why are cement plants built near limestone quarries?
Because limestone is a weight-losing, bulky raw material. Making cement removes much of its weight, so it costs less to carry the cement to the market than to carry the limestone to a distant plant.
