KERALA PSC / KERALA GEOGRAPHY / MINERAL RESOURCES / NOTES
/ OBJECTIVE QUESTIONS / STUDY MATERIALS / GENERAL KNOWLEDGE / KERALA PSC
PRELIMINARY
KERALA PSC / KERALA GEOGRAPHY / MINERAL RESOURCES / NOTES
/ OBJECTIVE QUESTIONS / STUDY MATERIALS / GENERAL KNOWLEDGE / KERALA PSC
PRELIMINARY
·
Kerala
State is endowed with a number of occurrences/deposits of minerals such as
Heavy Mineral Sands (Ilmenite, Rutile, Zircon, Monazite, Sillimanite). Gold,
Iron ore, Bauxite, Graphite, China Clay, Fire Clay, Tile and Brick Clay, Silica
Sand, Lignite, Limestone, Limeshell, Dimension Stone (Granite), Gemstones,
Magnesite, Steatite, Whiteclay, Mica etc…
MINERAL SAND
·
The
Heavy Mineral Sand deposits in Kerala contain an assemblage of Ilmenite, Rutile,
Leucoxene, Monazite, Zircon and Sillimanite.
·
The
state possesses one of the world class deposits of mineral sands in the coastal
tracts between Neendakara and Kayamkulam. This is commonly known as the Chavara
deposit.
·
The
chavara deposit is estimated to contain 127 million tonnes of heavy minerals
with ilmenite content of 80 million tonnes from the total reserve of raw sand
of the order of 1400 million tonnes.
·
In
the northern portion beyond Kayamkualm Pozhi extending up to Thottappally in
Alappuzha district, the total reserve of heavy minerals estimated to the order
of 17 million.
GOLD
·
Gold
occurs in Kerala both as primary and placer deposits.
·
The
known occurrences are mainly in Wayanad-Nilambur regions. Discovery of gold in
Attapady valley of Palakkad district is new and promising.
·
Mining
activity in the Wayanad Gold Field was abandoned in the early part of the 20th
century. The main reason for this appears to be the discovery of the very rich
gold deposits in Kolar Gold Field in Karnataka around that time.
IRON ORE
·
Five
iron ore deposits of banded magnetite quartzite type have been identified in
Kozhikode District and one in Malappuram district.
·
These
deposits are estimated to contain 84 million tonnes of reserve (geological
reserves) with iron content varying from 32 to 41%.
BAUXITE
·
Bauxite
occurs in close association with laterite all along the west coast of the State.
Traces of bauxite are seen in almost all laterite cappings.
·
But
bauxite deposits of economic significance in south Kerala are a few and are
located at Sooranad, Vadakkumuri, Chittavattom and Adichanallur in Kollam
district and Mangalapuram, Chilambil, Sasthavattom and Attipra areas of
Thiruvananthapuram district.
·
Based
on various investigations, the total bauxite reserves in the State are
estimated at 12.5 million tonnes.
·
The
largest bauxite deposits are in Nileswaram with a reserve of 5.32 million
tonnes.
CHINA CLAY
·
China
clay (kaolin) consisting dominantly of kaolinite is one of the most sophisticated
industrial minerals with a host of applications, viz., in ceramics,
refractories, paper coating, filler for rubber, insecticides, cement, paint,
textiles, fertilizers and others including abrasives, asbestos products, fiberglass,
chemicals, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, electrical ware, foundry and glass.
·
Two
major china clay zones were identified viz., the southern china clay zone
between Thiruvananthapuram and Kundara (Thiruvananthapuram and Kollam
districts) and the northern china clay zone between Kannapuram Madayi –
Cheruthazham in Kannur district to Nileswaram – Majeshwaram in Kasargod
district.
·
Kerala
china clay is one of the finest quality clay and is world class. In fact,
Kaolin marketed by English Indian Clays Ltd (EICL), Thiruvananthapuram claims
to have similar or even better properties compared to imported clays.
·
Among
the 25 working china clay mines in Kerala, 17 are in Thiruvananthapuram, 4 in
Kollam and 2 each in Kannur and in Kasargod districts.
LIGNITE
·
Lignite
is the only fuel mineral discovered recently in the State assumes special
significance.
·
Detailed
exploration including drilling taken up revealed that lignite occurs in multiple
seams in Madai area, Kannur district, having an average cumulative thickness of
4.65m. A reserve of 5.40 MT have been estimated from this area of 1.19 km².
·
Detailed
exploration carried out by the department in Nileswaram Ankakalari – Palayi –
Chathamath area in Kasargod district has identified lignite seams at a depth of
18m.
·
Drilling
at Kadankottumala, near Cheruvathur has indicated that lignite seams of average
cumulative thickness of 2.85 m occur in the sedimentaries in the depth range
from 16.70 m and 33.40 m.
·
In
Kayyur – Klayicode area east of Nileswaram a reserve of 0.55 million tonnes of
lignite with clay has also been estimated.
LIMESTONE
·
Kerala
State is deficient in crystalline limestone and only a few bands of crystalline
limestone in Palakkad and Idukki districts have been located in addition to the
limestone deposit at Pandarathu, Walayar, Palakkad district.
·
The
Pandarathu limestone deposit (24 million tonnes) is now the captive mine
producing limestone for M/s, Malabar Cements Ltd., the Portland cement plant in
Kerala
·
A
number of small bands have also been identified in other localities in Nattuvanki,
Athurasram, Vannamadai, Thavalam in Palakkad district and in a few localities
in Idukki district.
·
Limestone
of Kankar variety has been reported from Chittoor – Kozhinjampara area in
Palakkad district
·
Fossiliferous
Limestone is known to occur in various parts of Kollam district such as
Kallurkadavu, Mughathala, Kannanallur, Kottiyam, Mayyanad, Nedumgandam and
Edava in Thiruvananthapuram district.
LIME SHELL
·
The
state is deficient in high-grade limestone.
·
By
far the largest reserves of lime shell are known to occur in Vembanad lake and
adjoining portions comprising parts of Alappuzha, Ernakulam and Kottayam
Districts.
·
The
lime Shell resources next in importance to Vembanad lake are those in Kannur
and Kasargod districts in North Kerala.
MAGNESITE
·
A
total possible reserve of 0.037 million tonnes has been estimated in
Mulli-Salayur areas, Attappadi in Palakkad district.
·
In
Salayur area, magnesite veins varying in thickness from 10 to 30m were observed
in pits.
STEATITE / TALC
·
It
is consumed in many manufacturing industries of paper, insecticide, textile,
fertilizers, ceramics, rubber products, cement, asbestos etc…
·
Several
steatite occurences have been identified in Thalassery Taluk of Kannur
district.
·
The
total reserves estimated are of the order of 7.94 million tonnes.
GRANITE (DIMENSION STONE)
·
The
major granite belt of Kerala can be classified by its geologic setting into
three categories: Charnockite – Khondalite belt of Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam,
Pathanamthitta and Kottayam districts.
·
True
intrusive or anatectic granites and associated migmatites of Proterozoic age
are mined from Idukki, Palakkad, Kannur, Kasargod and Wayanad districts
·
Dolerite
– Gabbro dykes, Proterozoic intrusive hypabasal dyke swarms are mined from
Kottayam, Palakkad, Malappuram and Kozhikode
WHITE CLAY
·
Various
places of Thiruvananthapuram district have rich deposits of white clay. Apart
from this Kundara and Chattannur of Kollam district are famous for deposits of
China clay.
·
This
china clay is extensively used for the production of ceramic wares and
materials such as electric fuses.
GRAPHITE
·
Thiruvananthapuram
and Kollam districts of the state have abundant deposits of graphite.
·
Being
a multipurpose mineral, graphite is used in making a variety of products.
SILICA SAND
·
This
is the major raw material of glass industry. Silica is found in various part of
Alappuzha district like Cherthala, Panavalli, Pallippuram etc…
MICA
·
Two
types of mica are available in Kerala-phlogopite and muscovite mica. But mining
has not advanced so far.
·
The
geographical distribution of mica includes Punalur in Kollam district and
Kayana in Kozhikkode districts of Kerala.
KERALA PSC / KERALA GEOGRAPHY / MINERAL RESOURCES / NOTES
/ OBJECTIVE QUESTIONS / STUDY MATERIALS / GENERAL KNOWLEDGE / KERALA PSC
PRELIMINARY
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