Question

Which area is called the ‘storehouse of minerals’ in India?
A. NCR Region
B. Chota Nagpur Plateau Region
C. Mumbai-Pune Region
D. Mumbai-Ahmedabad Region

Answer 1

Hint: The region has its presence in more than one state. It is mainly present in the state of Jharkhand and apart from this it is also present in the adjacent parts of Odisha, West Bengal and Chhattisgarh.

Complete answer: The region of the Chota Nagpur Plateau is known as the ‘storehouse of minerals’ in India. Its presence can be seen in the states of Jharkhand, Odisha, West Bengal and also Chhattisgarh. To the north and east of the plateau lies the Indo-Gangetic plain whereas the basin of the Mahanadi river lies to the south.

Continental uplift from the forces acting deep inside the earth is the reason for the formation of the Chota Nagpur Plateau. It is considered part of the Deccan Plateau. However the Deccan Plateau broke free from the southern continent during the cretaceous period.

Three steps are part of the Chota Nagpur Plateau and the western part of the plateau has the highest step. The largest part of the Chota Nagpur Plateau is the Ranchi Plateau which has an elevation of about 700 m.

Mica, bauxite, copper, limestone, iron ore and coal are all present in abundance in the Chota Nagpur Plateau. The prime centre for coking coal in the country is the Damodar valley as it is very rich in coal. Jharia, Bokaro, Karanpura are some of the important coalfields in the central basin of the Chota Nagpur Plateau.

Therefore the correct answer is option B.

Note: Coal, iron ore, manganese ore, mica, bauxite, chromite and many more minerals are present in India. India also has the 4th largest reserves of coal in the world and apart from this India has the 7th largest reserve of manganese ore in the world.