Non-ferrous minerals
Topic: Mineral Resources of India: Distribution and Conservation · NCERT: Class 10, Ch 5 "Minerals and Energy Resources"; Class 12, Ch 5 "Mineral and Energy Resources"
Meaning
Non-ferrous minerals are metallic minerals that contain no iron. They include copper, bauxite, lead, zinc and tin. They matter for electrical wires, aluminium goods, batteries and alloys. India has few of them, bauxite apart. India is critically short of copper, so it imports copper concentrate. Recycling scrap copper, lead and zinc is therefore important.
Example
The Khetri copper mines in Jhunjhunu district, Rajasthan, and Malanjkhand in Balaghat district, Madhya Pradesh, are among India's main copper sources. Odisha leads in bauxite, with the Panchpatmali deposit in Koraput.
Don't confuse with
- Precious minerals: gold, silver and platinum are also metals without iron, but NCERT places them in a separate "precious" class.
- Ferrous minerals: these contain iron or are used to make steel, and India is well endowed with them.
Related concepts
- Mineral
- Ore
- Classification of minerals
- Characteristics of minerals
- Ferrous minerals
- Non-metallic minerals