Mines and Minerals

Mines and Minerals

TOPIC: Geography

Section: Economic Geography

Context- The Cabinet on Wednesday opened up mining of a new group of minerals as part of its strategy to boost domestic mining and to reduce import dependence.

Concept-

• The Cabinet approved an amendment to the second schedule of the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957, specifying the rate of royalty of certain minerals that include glauconite, potash, emerald, the platinum group of metals (PGM), andalusite, sillimanite and molybdenum.
• The amendment will lead to the auction of these mineral blocks for the first time in India.
• It is also expected to reduce imports of potash fertilisers and other minerals, and ensure availability of minerals for downstream industries and support agriculture.
• It will reduce the country’s foreign dependence through the local production of minerals.

Minerals and their uses: 

• Glauconite, a major component of greensand, is a common source of potassium (K+) in plant fertilizers and is also used to adjust soil pH.
• Andalusite is used as a refractory in furnaces, kilns and other industrial processes. South Africa possesses by far the largest portion of the world’s known andalusite deposits.
• Sillimanite minerals are mainly utilised in the production of mullite or high-alumina refractories. 95% of the world’s consumption of these minerals is used for this purpose in the manufacture of metals, glass, ceramics and cement.
• Molybdenum is a mineral that you need to stay healthy. Your body uses molybdenum to process proteins and genetic material like DNA. Molybdenum also helps break down drugs and toxic substances that enter the body
• High quality emeralds are used almost exclusively for making fine jewelry. Emerald is regarded as the traditional birthstone as well as the traditional gemstone for the astrological signs of Taurus, Gemini, and sometimes Cancer. Emerald is a variety of beryl.
• The platinum group metals (PGMs) are among the rarest mineral commodities in Earth’s crust. They include iridium, osmium, palladium, platinum, rhodium and ruthenium. Today, the leading use of PGMs is in catalytic converters that clean harmful exhaust from vehicle engines.