Railway
Most of India's chromite deposits are found in which state?
Answer (Detailed Solution Below)View answer ▾Hide ▴
Answer: Option A — Odisha
Detailed Solution
Odisha holds well over 90 per cent of India's chromite resources and produces almost all of the country's chromite. Most of the deposits are in the Sukinda valley of the Jajpur district, with others in the Keonjhar (Kendujhar) and Dhenkanal districts.
What is chromite?
Chromite is an oxide of iron and chromium, the only commercial ore of chromium.
It is usually found in ultramafic igneous rocks (rocks rich in iron and magnesium), such as serpentinite and peridotite.
The Sukinda valley:
- It is one of the largest chromite deposits in the world, with open-cast mines operated by public sector and private companies such as Tata Steel, Odisha Mining Corporation and IMFA.
- The ore is processed into ferrochrome, an alloy of iron and chromium.
Environmental problem: Sukinda has been listed among the most polluted places in the world because of hexavalent chromium (a toxic and cancer-causing form of chromium). Waste rock and mine water have contaminated groundwater and the Damsal stream, causing health problems for local people.
Uses of chromium:
Stainless steel: the main use. Chromium (usually 10 to 20 per cent) makes steel resistant to rust and corrosion.
Chrome plating, which gives a shiny, protective coating to metal parts.
Refractory bricks for furnaces, because chromite can withstand very high temperatures.
Other chromite deposits in India:
Small deposits are found in Manipur (Ukhrul district), Nagaland, Karnataka (Hassan and Mysuru districts), Jharkhand (Singhbhum) and Andhra Pradesh, but they contribute little to production.
Odisha's mineral wealth:
Odisha is one of India's richest states in minerals. It is a leading producer of iron ore, chromite, manganese and coal. Many major mines lie in the Keonjhar, Sundargarh, Jajpur and Angul districts.
World chromite production:
South Africa is the world's largest producer of chromite, mainly from the Bushveld Complex.
Why not the other options?
- ✗Jharkhand has only small chromite deposits in the Singhbhum region.
- ✗Manipur has chromite in the Ukhrul district, but production is negligible.
- ✗Tamil Nadu is not a significant chromite producer.
Quick tip
Remember: Chromite = Odisha (Sukinda valley, Jajpur), over 90 per cent of India's chromite; used for stainless steel; South Africa leads the world.
💬 Discussions on this question
Ask a doubt ›Still stuck on this question? Ask our faculty and fellow students — answers appear here.
Ask a doubtMore Minerals & Energy Resources Questions
View all ›- Q1.Which is the highest quality hard coal, with the highest carbon content?
- Q2.The Panchpatmali hills in the Koraput district of Odisha are famous for deposits of:
- Q3.Manikaran in Himachal Pradesh is known for:
- Q4.Mumbai High, located in the Arabian Sea, is known for the production of:
- Q5.Which state is the largest producer of lignite coal in India?
More General Knowledge Questions
- Q1.The techniques of Rasa and Bhava used in Indian classical dance trace their origin to which ancient text?Indian Dance Forms
- Q2.Lavani, Powada, Koli, Waghya Murali and Dhangari Gaja are folk dances of which state?Indian Dance Forms
- Q3.The one-act play associated with the Sattriya tradition of Assam is called:Indian Dance Forms
- Q4.Which dance form of Goa is known as the 'Warrior Dance'?Indian Dance Forms
- Q5.Manipuri dance is based on the Rasleela themes of:Indian Dance Forms
Minerals & Energy Resources — Preparation
This question tests your understanding of Minerals & Energy Resources, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.
This topic covers India's mineral resources (iron ore, manganese, bauxite, copper, mica and others) and energy resources (coal, petroleum, natural gas, nuclear power and renewable energy), with their main producing regions, mines, oil fields and power plants. Questions often ask where a mineral is found, which state is the leading producer, or where an important power plant or oil field is located. For example, Jharia is known for coal, Digboi in Assam is the oldest oil field in India, and Tarapur in Maharashtra is the site of India's first nuclear power plant. Practise the minerals and energy resources questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.