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Minerals and Energy Resources Class 10 Notes:
Simplified Geography
Embark on a journey to master the intricacies of Minerals and Energy Resources, Chapter 5 of
Class 10 Social Science, with our comprehensive and simplified guide. Designed specifically
for students preparing for the CBSE 2023‐24 board exams, these notes provide a clear and
concise understanding of this crucial topic.
Delve into the fascinating world of minerals, exploring their formation, classification, and
economic significance. Uncover the diverse types of energy resources, their distribution
across the globe, and their environmental implications.
To further enhance your learning experience, we have included a downloadable PDF version
of the notes, allowing you to study anytime, anywhere.
Embrace simplified geography and propel your exam preparation to new heights with our
Minerals and Energy Resources Class 10 notes.
Subject Social Science ﴾Geography﴿
Class 10
Board CBSE and State Boards
Chapter No. 5
Chapter Name Minerals and Energy Resources
Type Notes
Session 2023‐24
Weightage 3‐6 marks
“Don't be afraid to fail. Not failure, but low aim, is the greatest
crime.”
— Vince Lombardi
Minerals and Energy Resources Class 10 Notes
Table of Contents
Minerals
Minerals
Mode of Occurrence of Minerals
Minerals generally occur in these forms:
Ferrous Minerals
Iron Ore
Manganese
Non‐Ferrous Minerals
Copper
Bauxite
Non‐Metallic Minerals
Mica
Rock Minerals
Limestone
Hazards of Mining
Conservation of Minerals
Energy Resources
Conventional Sources of Energy
Coal
Petroleum
Natural Gas
Electricity
Non‐Conventional Sources of Energy
Nuclear or Atomic Energy
Solar Energy
Wind Power
Biogas
Tidal Energy
Geo‐Thermal Energy
Conservation of Energy Resources
Minerals
A mineral is a homogenous, naturally occurring substance with a definable internal
structure.
Minerals are found in varied forms in nature, ranging from the hardest diamond to the
softest talc.
Mode of Occurrence of Minerals
Factors that make mineral extractions commercially viable are:
The concentration of minerals in the ore.
The ease of extraction
The ease of extraction
Closeness to the market
Minerals generally occur in these forms:
1. In igneous and metamorphic rocks minerals may occur in the cracks, crevices, faults, or
joints. The smaller occurrences are called veins and the larger are called lodes.
Major metallic minerals like tin, copper, zinc lead, etc. are obtained from veins and lodes.
2. In sedimentary rocks a number of minerals occur in beds or layers. They have been formed
as a result of deposition, accumulation, and concentration in horizontal strata.
Another group of sedimentary minerals include gypsum, potash salt, and sodium salt. These
are formed as a result of evaporation, especially in arid regions.
3. Decomposition of surface rocks, and the removal of soluble constituents, leaving a
residual mass of weathered material containing ores. Bauxite is formed this way.
4. Certain minerals may occur as alluvial deposits in the sands of valley floors and the base
of hills. These deposits are called placer deposits.
Gold, silver, tin, and platinum are the most important among such minerals.
5. The ocean waters contain vast quantities of minerals. Common salt, magnesium, and
bromine are largely derived from ocean waters.
Ferrous Minerals
Iron Ore
Magnetite: Finest iron ore, has up to 70% iron content.
Hematite: Has a slightly lower iron content ﴾50‐60%﴿.
The major iron ore belts in India are:
Odisha‐Jharkhand belt: In Odisha high‐grade hematite ore is found in Badampahar
mines in the Mayurbhanj and Kendujhar districts.
Durg‐Bastar‐Chandrapur belt: It lies in Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra. Very high‐grade
hematites are found in the famous Bailadila range of hills in the Bastar district of
Chhattisgarh. It has the best physical properties needed for steel making.
Ballari‐Chitradurga‐ChikkamagaluruTumakuru belt in Karnataka has large reserves of
iron ore. Kudremukh deposits are known to be one of the largest in the world.
iron ore. Kudremukh deposits are known to be one of the largest in the world.
Maharashtra‐Goa belt includes the state of Goa and Ratnagiri district of Maharashtra.
Manganese
Uses of Manganese ore are:
It is used in the manufacturing of steel and ferromanganese alloys.
To manufacture bleaching powder.
To manufacture insecticides.
To manufacture paints.
Non‐Ferrous Minerals
Copper
Being malleable, ductile, and a good conductor, copper is mainly used in electrical
cables, electronics, and chemical industries.
The Balaghat mines in Madhya Pradesh, the Khetri mines in Rajasthan, and the
Singhbhum district of Jharkhand are leading producers of copper.
Bauxite
Formation: Bauxite deposits are formed by the decomposition of a wide variety of rocks rich
in aluminium silicates.
Uses:
Bauxite is a clay‐like substance from which alumina and later aluminium are obtained.
Aluminium is an important metal because it combines the strength of metals such as
iron with extreme lightness and also with good conductivity and great malleability.
Distribution:
Bauxite is found in the Amarkantak Plateau, Maikal Hills, and the plateau region of
Bilaspur‐Katni.
Odisha is the largest bauxite‐producing state in India.
Non‐Metallic Minerals
Mica
Mica is a mineral made up of a series of plates or leaves. It splits easily into thin sheets.
Mica is considered the most important mineral in electrical and electronic industries because:
Excellent dielectric strength
Low power loss factor
Insulating properties
Resistance to high voltage.
Rock Minerals
Limestone
It is found in association with rocks composed of calcium carbonates or calcium and
magnesium carbonates.
It is found in sedimentary rocks of most geological formations.
Limestone is the basic raw material for the cement industry and is essential for
smelting iron ore in the blast furnace.
Hazards of Mining
Problems for miners:
The miners have to work under tough conditions where no natural light is available.
There is always a risk of collapse of the mine roof, inundation with water, and fire.
Miners are at great risk of getting afflicted with pulmonary disorders.
Environmental Damage:
The water sources in the region get contaminated due to mining.
Dumping of waste and slurry leads to the degradation of land, and soil, and an
increase in stream and river pollution.
Conservation of Minerals
We need to conserve minerals because:
The strong dependence of industry and agriculture upon mineral deposits and the
substances manufactured from them.
The geological processes of mineral formation are very slow.
Mineral resources are finite and non‐renewable.
Continued extraction of ores leads to increasing costs as mineral extraction comes
from greater depths along with a decrease in quality.
Ways to conserve minerals:
A concerted effort has to be made in order to use mineral resources in a planned and
sustainable manner.
Improved technologies need to be constantly evolved to allow the use of low‐grade
ores at low costs.
Recycling of metals, using scrap metals and other substitutes.
Energy Resources
Conventional source of energy Non‐conventional source of energy
1. These are the traditional sources of energy 1. These are the sources of energy
produced from coal, petroleum, and natural developed recently from the sun, wind,
gas. tide, etc.
2. They are non‐renewable. 2. They are renewable.
3. Their generation is expensive. 3. Their generation is cheaper.
4. They pollute the atmosphere on a large 4. They are pollution‐free/less pollution
scale. sources.
5. Example: Solar energy, wind energy,
5. Example: coal, petroleum, natural gas, etc.
tidal power, etc.
Firewood and cattle dung cake are most common in rural India. More than 70%
energy requirement of rural households is met by these two.
Continual use of firewood is increasingly becoming difficult due to decreasing forest
area. Using dung cake is discouraged because it consumes the most valuable manure
which could be used in agriculture.
Conventional Sources of Energy
Coal
The most abundantly available fossil fuel in India is coal.
Forms of Coal:
Peat: It has low carbon and high moisture content and low heating capacity.
Lignite: It is low‐grade brown coal that is soft with high moisture content. It is used for
generating electricity.
generating electricity.
Bituminous: It is the most popular coal for commercial use. It has a special value for
smelting iron in blast furnaces.
Anthracite: It is the highest quality hard coal.
Petroleum
Importance of petroleum:
It provides fuel for heat and lighting
It provides lubricants for machinery
It provides raw materials for a number of manufacturing industries.
Petroleum refineries act as a ‘nodal industry’ for synthetic textile, fertilizer, and
numerous chemical industries.
Occurrence of petroleum:
Most of the petroleum occurrences in India are associated with anticlines and fault
traps in the rock formations of the tertiary age.
In regions of folding, anticline, or domes, it occurs where oil is trapped in the crest of
the upfold.
Petroleum is also found in fault traps between porous and non‐porous rocks.
Natural Gas
Natural Gas is found in petroleum deposits and is released when crude oil is brought to the
surface.
Electricity
Two main ways of generating electricity:
Hydroelectricity
Thermal electricity.
Thermal Electricity Hydro Electricity
1. It is obtained by using coal, petroleum, and natural gas. 1. It is produced from water.
2. It is a non‐renewable resource. 2. It is renewable.
3. It causes pollution. 3. It does not cause pollution.
4. It is expensive in the long run. 4. It is cheaper in the long run.
4. It is expensive in the long run. 4. It is cheaper in the long run.
Non‐Conventional Sources of Energy
Nuclear or Atomic Energy
Uranium and Thorium are used to obtain nuclear energy.
Nuclear energy is obtained by altering the structure of atoms. When such an alteration is
made, much energy is released in the form of heat and this is used to generate electric
power.
Solar Energy
Solar energy can solve the energy problems to some extent in India:
India is a tropical country therefore it receives sunlight in abundance throughout the
year.
Solar plants can be easily established in rural and remote areas.
It will minimize the dependence of rural households on firewood and dung cakes
which in turn will contribute to environmental conservation and adequate quantity of
manure.
Ways to improve usage of solar energy:
1. Reducing the cost of solar panels.
2. Use of efficient solar panel models.
3. Creating awareness about the importance of renewable energy.
4. Easy installation process.
5. Avoid installing solar panels in shaded areas.
Wind Power
India has great potential for wind power. The largest wind farm cluster is located in Tamil
Nadu from Nagarcoil to Madurai.
Nagarcoil and Jaisalmer are well known for the effective use of wind energy in the country.
Biogas
Shrubs, farm waste, animal and human waste are used to produce biogas for domestic
consumption in rural areas.
High thermal efficiency in comparison to kerosene, dung cake, and charcoal.
High thermal efficiency in comparison to kerosene, dung cake, and charcoal.
It burns without smoke, causing no pollution.
The plants using cattle dung are known as ‘Gobar gas plants’ in rural India.
These provide twin benefits to the farmer in the form of energy and improved quality
of manure.
Biogas is by far the most efficient use of cattle dung.
Provision of energy
Improved quality of manure.
Tidal Energy
Floodgate dams are built across inlets. The water flows into the inlet during high tide and
gets trapped when the gate is closed. Once the tide recedes, the gates are opened so that
water can flow back to the sea/ocean. The flow of water is used to run the turbine to
generate electricity.
Geo‐Thermal Energy
Geothermal energy refers to the heat and electricity produced by using the heat from the
interior of the Earth. Geothermal energy exists because the Earth grows progressively hotter
with increasing depth.
Two experimental projects have been set up in India to harness geothermal energy:
One is located in the Parvati valley near Manikarn in Himachal Pradesh.
The other is located in the Puga Valley, Ladakh.
Conservation of Energy Resources
Ways to conserve energy resources are:
We have to adopt a cautious approach to the judicious use of our limited energy
resources.
Using public transport systems instead of individual vehicles.
Switching off electricity when not in use.
Using power‐saving devices
Using non‐conventional sources of energy.
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