SSC
Which state is the largest producer of lignite coal in India?
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Answer: Option D — Tamil Nadu
Detailed Solution
Lignite, also known as brown coal, is a low-grade coal with a carbon content of about 40-55% and a high moisture content. It is soft and brownish-black, and has a lower heating value than bituminous coal or anthracite. It is formed from peat under moderate heat and pressure and is younger than other coals, mostly from the Tertiary period.
Tamil Nadu is the largest producer of lignite in India and has the largest reserves. Most of it comes from Neyveli, in the Cuddalore district. The Neyveli lignite deposits were discovered in the 1930s-40s, reportedly when a farmer, Jambulingam Mudaliar, found black material while digging a well on his land. Large-scale mining began after the Neyveli Lignite Corporation (NLC) was set up in 1956. NLC, now called NLC India Limited, is a Navratna public sector company. It runs large open-cast lignite mines and pithead thermal power stations at Neyveli, which supply electricity to Tamil Nadu and other southern states. It has also expanded into coal mining in Odisha and into solar and wind power.
Lignite is used mainly for generating electricity in power plants located close to the mines (pithead plants), because its high moisture content makes it uneconomical to transport over long distances. It is also used to make briquettes, fertilisers and some chemicals.
Other lignite-producing states:
- Gujarat: the second-largest producer, with deposits in Kutch, Bharuch, Bhavnagar and Surat; mined by the Gujarat Mineral Development Corporation (GMDC).
- Rajasthan: deposits at Barsingsar, Giral and Bithnok (Bikaner and Barmer districts).
- Puducherry and Jammu and Kashmir also have small deposits.
- Most of India's lignite reserves are in the Tertiary rocks of the south and west, while bituminous coal is found in the older Gondwana rocks of eastern and central India.
Why not the other options?
- ✗Gujarat is the second-largest producer of lignite.
- ✗Rajasthan has lignite deposits at Barsingsar and Giral.
- ✗Jharkhand is the largest producer of (Gondwana) bituminous coal, not lignite.
Quick tip
Remember: Lignite = Tamil Nadu (Neyveli, NLC India, 1956) largest, then Gujarat (Kutch) and Rajasthan (Barsingsar); bituminous coal = Jharkhand, Odisha and Chhattisgarh.
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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.