Defence
The Kho-Dariba area of Rajasthan is associated with the mining of:
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Answer: Option A — Copper
Detailed Solution
Kho-Dariba, in the Alwar district of north-eastern Rajasthan, is a copper mining area. It is part of the larger Khetri copper belt of Rajasthan, which runs through the Jhunjhunu, Sikar and Alwar districts in the northern Aravalli region.
The Khetri copper belt:
- It is one of the most important copper-producing regions of India, along with Malanjkhand in Madhya Pradesh and the Singhbhum belt in Jharkhand.
- Major mines in the belt include Khetri, Kolihan and Chandmari (Jhunjhunu district), and Kho-Dariba (Alwar district).
The Khetri Copper Complex, set up by Hindustan Copper Limited (HCL), includes mines, a concentrator plant and smelting facilities. Khetri Nagar is the township that grew up around it.
Copper has been mined in this region since ancient times. Old mine workings and slag heaps show that copper was extracted here thousands of years ago, possibly supplying the Harappan civilisation, and the Ganeshwar-Jodhpura culture of this area is known for its copper objects.
About Kho-Dariba:
- The copper ore here occurs in metamorphic rocks of the Delhi Supergroup.
- The mine has been operated by Hindustan Copper Limited, though work has been interrupted at times.
Do not confuse it with Dariba:
Rajpura-Dariba, in the Rajsamand district of southern Rajasthan, is a lead-zinc-silver mine of Hindustan Zinc Limited. Despite the similar name, it is a different place and mineral.
Copper in India:
- India's copper ore production is small, and much of its refined copper comes from smelting imported copper concentrate at large private smelters, such as those at Dahej (Gujarat).
- The main copper ore mineral is chalcopyrite (copper iron sulphide).
- Copper is a key metal for electrical wiring, motors, electronics, electric vehicles and renewable energy systems.
Rajasthan's mineral diversity:
Rajasthan has a wide variety of minerals, including lead, zinc, silver, copper, gypsum, rock phosphate, wollastonite, marble and sandstone.
Why not the other options?
- ✗Mica in Rajasthan is found mainly in the Bhilwara and Ajmer districts.
- ✗Gypsum is found mainly in western Rajasthan, in the Bikaner, Nagaur and Barmer districts.
- ✗Uranium in Rajasthan has been found at Rohil (Sikar district), not at Kho-Dariba.
Quick tip
Remember: Kho-Dariba (Alwar) and Khetri-Kolihan (Jhunjhunu) = copper, Rajasthan (Hindustan Copper); Rajpura-Dariba (Rajsamand) = lead-zinc.
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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.