Minerals and Energy Resources – Very Short Answer Type Questions
CBSE Class 10 Social Science – Chapter Wise Study Materials Based on NCERT
Designed for CBSE Board Examinations – Very Short Answer Type Questions with Answers
These topic-wise Very Short Answer Type Questions with Answers are prepared strictly according
to the NCERT syllabus for Class 10 Geography Chapter 5: Minerals and Energy Resources.
They are ideal for quick revision and CBSE Class 10 Board Exam practice.
Topic 1: What is a Mineral?
Q1. What is a mineral?
Answer: A mineral is a naturally occurring substance with a definite chemical composition and an ordered atomic structure.
Q2. Name any two characteristics of minerals.
Answer: Minerals are naturally occurring and have a definite chemical composition.
Q3. Minerals belong to which type of resource – renewable or non-renewable?
Answer: Minerals are non-renewable resources.
Q4. What is an ore?
Answer: An ore is a rock containing enough mineral that it can be mined and processed profitably.
Topic 2: Mode of Occurrence of Minerals
Q5. What is meant by “mode of occurrence” of minerals?
Answer: Mode of occurrence refers to the form and place in which minerals are found in the earth’s crust.
Q6. In which types of rocks do veins and lodes commonly occur?
Answer: Veins and lodes commonly occur in igneous and metamorphic rocks.
Q7. What are veins and lodes?
Answer: Veins are small and lodes are large mineral deposits filling cracks, faults or joints in rocks.
Q8. How do minerals occur in sedimentary rocks?
Answer: In sedimentary rocks, minerals occur in beds or layers formed by deposition and compaction of sediments.
Q9. What are placer deposits?
Answer: Placer deposits are alluvial deposits of minerals found in sands of valley floors and river beds.
Q10. Name the type of deposit formed by the residual mass of weathered material.
Answer: Such deposits are called residual deposits.
Topic 3: Where Are These Minerals Found? – Major Mineral Belts of India
Q11. Are minerals evenly distributed in India?
Answer: No, minerals are unevenly distributed and concentrated in certain regions.
Q12. Name any two major mineral belts of India.
Answer: North-Eastern Plateau Region and South-Western Plateau Region.
Q13. Which plateau is rich in coal and iron ore deposits?
Answer: The Chhota Nagpur Plateau.
Q14. Which state in the north-western region is rich in non-metallic minerals?
Answer: Rajasthan is rich in non-metallic minerals.
Q15. Name any one Himalayan state having mineral deposits.
Answer: Jammu & Kashmir (or Himachal Pradesh / Uttarakhand).
Topic 4: Ferrous Minerals
Q16. What are ferrous minerals?
Answer: Ferrous minerals are minerals that contain iron.
Q17. Give two examples of ferrous minerals.
Answer: Iron ore and manganese.
Q18. Which mineral is known as the backbone of modern industrial development?
Answer: Iron ore is known as the backbone of modern industrial development.
Q19. Name two main types of iron ore found in India.
Answer: Hematite and magnetite.
Q20. Which state is the leading producer of iron ore in India?
Answer: Odisha is the leading producer of iron ore in India.
Q21. Why is manganese an important ferrous mineral?
Answer: Manganese is used in making steel and in manufacturing bleaching powder, paints and batteries.
Q22. Name any two uses of manganese.
Answer: It is used in steel making and in manufacturing dry cell batteries.
Q23. Which mineral is used to make stainless steel along with iron?
Answer: Chromite (chromium) is used along with iron to make stainless steel.
Topic 5: Non-Ferrous Minerals
Q24. What are non-ferrous minerals?
Answer: Non-ferrous minerals are minerals that do not contain iron.
Q25. Give any two examples of non-ferrous minerals.
Answer: Copper and bauxite.
Q26. Why is copper an important metal?
Answer: Copper is a good conductor of electricity and is used in electric wires and cables.
Q27. Name a major copper-producing state of India.
Answer: Rajasthan is a major copper-producing state.
Q28. What is bauxite?
Answer: Bauxite is the ore from which aluminium is extracted.
Q29. Name any two states where bauxite is found in India.
Answer: Odisha and Gujarat (also Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh).
Q30. Why is aluminium preferred for making aircraft bodies?
Answer: Aluminium is light, strong and resistant to corrosion.
Q31. Name any two non-ferrous minerals other than copper and bauxite.
Answer: Lead and zinc.
Topic 6: Non-Metallic Minerals and Rock Minerals
Q32. What are non-metallic minerals?
Answer: Non-metallic minerals are minerals that do not contain metals.
Q33. Give one example of a non-metallic mineral used in the electrical industry.
Answer: Mica is used in the electrical and electronic industry.
Q34. State one important property of mica.
Answer: Mica is a good insulator and can be split into thin sheets.
Q35. Which mineral is the basic raw material for the cement industry?
Answer: Limestone is the basic raw material for the cement industry.
Q36. Name any two rock minerals used as building stones.
Answer: Granite and sandstone.
Q37. Mention one use of limestone in the iron and steel industry.
Answer: Limestone is used as a flux in the smelting of iron ore.
Topic 7: Conservation of Minerals
Q38. Why are minerals considered non-renewable?
Answer: Because they take millions of years to form and cannot be replenished within a human life span.
Q39. What is meant by conservation of minerals?
Answer: Conservation of minerals means careful, judicious and sustainable use of mineral resources.
Q40. Name one industrial method to conserve minerals.
Answer: Recycling and reusing metals is an important industrial method to conserve minerals.
Q41. Mention one way by which individuals can help conserve minerals.
Answer: By avoiding wastage of metal products and using durable goods.
Q42. Why should we promote the use of alternative materials?
Answer: To reduce excessive pressure on limited mineral resources.
Topic 8: Energy Resources – An Overview
Q43. What is an energy resource?
Answer: Any source that can provide usable power to run various activities is called an energy resource.
Q44. How are energy resources broadly classified?
Answer: They are broadly classified into conventional and non-conventional energy resources.
Q45. Name any two major conventional sources of energy.
Answer: Coal and petroleum.
Topic 9: Conventional Sources of Energy
Q46. Which type of coal is most commonly used in Indian industries?
Answer: Bituminous coal is most commonly used in Indian industries.
Q47. Why is petroleum called “black gold”?
Answer: Because it is very valuable and used as a raw material for many products.
Q48. Which fossil fuel is considered the cleanest in terms of emissions?
Answer: Natural gas is considered the cleanest fossil fuel.
Topic 10: Non-Conventional Energy and Conservation of Energy Resources
Q49. Name any two non-conventional sources of energy.
Answer: Solar energy and wind energy.
Q50. Mention any two simple ways to save energy at home.
Answer: Switching off lights and fans when not in use, and using LED bulbs instead of incandescent bulbs.
