VIII – Geography Ch-3 Minerals and power resources Notes

 

Minerals and their types

 

Minerals

*Minerals are the natural substance created by natural process

*They have definite physical and chemical property

Features

*They are unevenly distributed

*They are extracted from the earths crust in raw form

*Minerals can be identified on the basis of physical properties such as colour , density , hardness , chemical property such as solubility

*Minerals are non renewable and localized resources

*They are created through natural process

Types of minerals

 

There are two types of minerals

 

Metallic         Non metallic

 

*Metallic minerals contain metal in raw form

*These are the conductors of heat and light

 

*There are two types of metallic minerals

1.Ferrous                  

2.Non Ferrous

 

Ferrous minerals – Metallic minerals which contain iron ore are called ferrous .

Such as iron , magnese , chromite

Non  Ferrous minerals – metallic minerals which do not contain iron ore are called non ferrous.

Such as copper , gold , silver , lead

 

Importance of minerals

*Minerals are used in various industries

*Copper is used to make coins pipes & wires etc

*Gold silver diamonds are used to make jewellery

*Aluminium is used in cookwares , airplanes , automobiles

*Silicon is used in computers and salt we use in our food

 

          Topic:  Mining and its types (3.2)

 

*The process of taking out minerals from rocks buried under the earths crust is termed as mining

*In this process economically valuable minerals or other precious minerals are extracted from the earth.

 

                                                Types of mining

 

There are two types of mining

1.Surface mining

2.Shaft mining

 

Surface mining

*Surface mining is done when minerals are found very close to the surface.

*Minerals are taken out by removing the surface layer.

*Surface mining is used to extract coal , copper , iron , aluminum ,limestone etc.

*The process of surface mining is less expensive then shaft mining.

*Three common types of surface mining are

1.Open pit mining

2.Strip mining

3.Qurraing

 

 

Shaft mining

*The word shaft means deep bores

*In shaft mining deep vertical bores, shaft or tunnels are made to reach the mineral deposits.

*Ore is brought to the surface through the tunnels for processing.

This type of mining is used to extract Petroleum, natural gas  gold, diamonds etc.

 

          Topic:  Minerals: Formation & Conservation (3.3)

 

Formation of Minerals

 

*Minerals occur in different types of rocks.

 *Generally, metallic minerals (iron ,Zinc, copper and lead) are found in igneous and metamorphic rock formations that form large plateaus.

*Iron-ore in north Sweden, copper and nickel deposits in Ontario, Canada, iron, nickel, chromites and platinum in South Africa are examples of minerals found in igneous and metamorphic rocks.

 

* Sedimentary rock formations of plains and young fold mountains contain non-metallic minerals like limestone, Coal, iron, gypsum and sodium.

*Limestone deposits of Caucasus region of France, manganese deposits of Georgia and Ukraine and phosphate beds of Algeria are some examples.

*Mineral fuels such as coal and petroleum are also found in the sedimentary strata.

*Some minerals are found In oceans in diffused form. E.g., Salt, magnesium, bromine etc

 

USES OFMINERALS

 

*Minerals are used in many industries.

*Minerals which are used for gems are usually hard. These are then set in various styles for jewellery.

* Copper is another metal used in everything from coins to pipes.

*Silicon, used in the computer industry is obtained from quartz.

*Aluminum obtained from its ore bauxite is used in automobiles and airplanes, bottling industry, buildings and even in kitchen cookware.

 

 

Conservation of minerals

Following steps should be taken to conserve the mineral resources

*We should use non conventional resources.

*The wastage of mining should be reduced.

*Recycling of metals is important to conserve minerals.

*We should reduce the export of scarce minerals.

* A  concerted  effort  has  to  be  made  in  order  to  use  our  mineral  resources  in a planned and sustainable manner.

*Further intensified exploration of mineral deposits is also required.

 

          Topic:  Power resources: Types 

Power resources

*Resources which are used to generate power ,heat or energy are called power resources.

*Such as coal natural gas nuclear fuels Solar Energy, Wind Energy  and Hydro Energy.

*Energy resources include all forms of fuels used in the modern world.

 

 

The need of Energy resources

 

*Everything requires energy .Plants animals all require energy.

*Energy is needed to cook, to provide light and heat, to propel vehicles and to drive machinery in industries.

* Energy is a basic requirement for economic development. Every sector of the national economy— agriculture, industry and transport-commercial and domestic needs inputs of energy.

*Consumption of energy in all forms has been steadily rising all over the country.

 

* They are found in limited amount and are non-renewable.

*Billions of people in the country use energy and India is one of the least energy efficient countries in the world, so there is huge need of energy resources .

 

 

Types of power resources

 

There are two types of power resources –

 

Conventional 

*Conventional sources of energy are the traditional source of energy

We have been using them for a long time

*Most of them, especially the fossil fuels are limited and exhaustible.

*These are not eco friendly as they emit smoke and ash on burning and cause environmental pollution.

*As the supply fossil fuels are limited they are expensive. They are expensive in the long run.

*Coal, mineral oil, natural gas, are examples of conventional sources of energy.

*These are extensively used.

 

Non conventional

*Energy produced from the sun , wind , tides is called non conventional resources .

*Solar energy, wind energy, tidal energy geothermal energy, biogas and energy from urban waste are examples of nonconventional sources of energy.

*These are eco friendly

*They are inexhaustible, renewable resources.

As they are flow resources, freely found in nature in abundance, they are less expensive. It’s use is cheaper in the long run.

*There use is limited.

*Advanced scientific technology is involved in its production.

 

Topic:  Conventional source of Energy 

Conventional source of energy

Firewood and fossil fuels are the two main conventional energy  sources.

 

Fossil fuels

*Remains of plants and animals which were buried under the earth for millions of years got converted by the heat and pressure into fossil fuels.

*Fossil fuels are derived from the organic matter trapped in the sedimentary rocks.

coal, petroleum and natural gas are the major fossil fuels

 

 

 

 

Fire Wood

*Wood is a organic conventional fuel.

*More than fifty per cent of the energy used for cooking and heating  by  villagers comes from fire wood.

 

Coal

 

Coal is a organic fossil fuel.

This is the most abundantly found and used fossil fuel.

*Coal was formed millions of years ago when giant ferns and swamps got buried under the layers of earth. Coal is therefore referred to as Buried Sunshine.

*It is used to generate steam power ,to run machinery in the factories , ships & to generate thermal electricity

*The four major types of coal are

Peat (lowest )                                  

lignite

Bituminous                         

Anthracite(90%)-Highest carbon

*Four major coal producing countries are

China , USA, Germany & Russia

* The coal producing areas of India are Raniganj, Jharia, Dhanbad and Bokaro in Jharkhand.

 

 

Petroleum

Petroleum ---- latin ---àpetra(rock )+oleum(oil)

*It means rock oil

*Crude oil is  derived from sedimentary rocks. Refineries process the crude oil and produce

*a variety of products like diesel, petrol, kerosene, wax, Vaseline, plastics and lubricants.

*Diesel & petrol are the byproducts of crude oil.

*Four countries that lead petroleum production are – Iran , Iraq, Saudi Arabia , & Qatar 

*The leading producers in India are Digboi in Assam, Bombay High in Mumbai

and the deltas of Krishna and Godavari rivers.

 

Natural Gas

*Natural gas is found with petroleum and coal deposits and is released when crude oil and coal is brought to the surface.

*Natural gas is the mixture of gases rich in hydrocarbons but the largest component of the natural gas is methane (CH4).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

*It is  the fossil fuel which is considered environment friendly. Due to to low carbon dioxide emissions.

*When natural gas  cannot be used in its pure form many by products are extracted when it is processed like Propane , Butane, Ethane, Nitrogen, CO₂

_*Compressed natural gas is used to run vehicles which is known as CNG

 

Drawbacks of fossil fuel

*The sharp increase in our consumption of fossil fuels has led to their depletion at an alarming rate.

*Combustion of fossil fuel releases The toxic pollutants

Unchecked burning of fossil fuels lead to global warming and environmental problems  uncontrolled use of fossil fuel is like an unchecked dripping tap which will eventually run dry.

 

 

                           **************