Question

What is the chief mineral of Russia?
A) Iron
B) Coal
C) Copper
D) Tin

Answer 1

Hint: Russia is one of the world's leading producers of a variety of mineral commodities, and one of the top three countries in terms of diamonds, gold, platinum, and palladium reserves, as well as coal and iron ore reserves. It is also self-sufficient in nearly all major industrial raw materials and has extensive non-fuel mineral reserves.

Complete answer:
As of 2016, Russia ranked second in the world with 176,771 million tonnes (MMst) of proven coal reserves, accounting for about 16% of the world's total coal reserves of 1,139,471 million tonnes (MMst). Russia has proven reserves of 767.3 times annual consumption.

Let us look at the given options:
A) Iron: This option is incorrect because it is not the chief mineral of Russia. Brazil is the lead iron ore producer.
B) Coal: This is the correct option. Russia has a total coal reserve of 173 billion tonnes. In terms of total coal reserves, Russia trails the United States, which has 263 billion tonnes. The Kuznetsk and Kansk-Achinsk basins hold the majority of Russia's coal reserves.
C) Copper: This option is incorrect because it is not the chief mineral of Russia. In 2020, Russia's copper mine production is expected to reach 850 thousand metric tonnes. Copper is the chief mineral of Chile.
D) Tin: This option is incorrect because it is not the chief mineral of Russia. Tin metal reserves in Russia total 2.17 million metric tonnes whereas it had coal reserves of 173 billion tonnes. Tin is the chief mineral of China.

Thus the correct answer is option ‘B’ i.e, Coal.

Note: Russia is self-sufficient in now almost all significant industrial raw materials and has extensive non-fuel mineral reserves. Gold, iron ore, chromium, manganese, titanium, nickel, copper, lead, platinum, tungsten, phosphates, tin, and diamonds are all abundant in the country. The forests of Siberia contain approximately one-fifth of the world's timber.