Question

Which is the largest sponge iron producer in the world?
a. Algeria
b. India
c. Sri Lanka
d. Bangladesh

Answer 1

Hint: Sponge iron is a highly processed type of iron ore that contains 83-88 percent metallic iron, obtained without melting it by direct reduction. The resulting iron is called sponge iron because of its high porosity.

Complete step by step answer:
The processing method of sponge iron requires the separation of oxygen from iron ore. As it occurs, the leaving oxygen causes micropores in the ore body making it porous. It resembles a honeycomb shape and appears spongy in texture when the final result is viewed under a microscope. Therefore the name of the iron sponge
The goal during the sponge iron manufacturing process is to extract oxygen from the iron ore. It is known as direct reduced iron as well.
Most units processing sponge iron are in India's mineral-rich states. More than 80 percent of the sponge iron was provided by coal-based units.
During the 2019/2020 year to March, Odisha, which accounts for over half of India's iron ore output, produced 120 million tonnes, up marginally from 118 million tonnes the previous year.

So, the correct answer is Option (B).

Note: At the end of the fiscal year 2019, the production volume of sponge iron in India accounted for more than 34 million metric tonnes. This amount is expected to decline in the fiscal year 2020 to almost 28 million metric tonnes. India has been the world's largest manufacturer of sponge iron since the 2003 fiscal year. By manufacturing 18.679 tonnes of sponge iron, India ranked first in 2013. India is the largest producer of sponge iron in the world, much of which is manufactured mainly through the processing method of coal.