Question

Which state is the largest producer of manganese in India?

a. Assam

b. Rajasthan

c. Madhya Pradesh 

d. Odisha

Answer 1

Hint: Manganese is always found in combination with iron and not in a free state. Pyrolusite is the most important manganese ore.

Complete Step by Step Answer: 

Manganese is primarily used in the iron and steel industry. It is the fundamental raw material for producing steel alloys. 6 kilograms of manganese ore is needed for generating one tonne of steel.

India ranks second in the world after Zimbabwe in having manganese reserves.

In India, states such as Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka are the leading manganese ore yielding states. Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh together produce more than half of India’s manganese

Looking at the above options: 

Option a: Assam does not contribute to manganese production. Hence this is an incorrect answer.

Option b: Rajasthan contributes around 3% to the total manganese production. Hence this is an incorrect answer.

Option c: Madhya Pradesh contributes around 27% to the total manganese production as per the 2018-19 data. Hence this is a correct answer.

Option d: Odisha has the largest manganese reserves but with respect to manganese production, it stands at third rank after Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra and as per 2018-19 data, the production of manganese was 16%. Hence, this is an incorrect answer.

Therefore, the correct answer is option 'c' with 27% of total production. 

Note: Manganese is used for manufacturing bleaching powder, insecticides, paints, and batteries. Around four-fifths of the total output is consumed domestically. The export rates continually decrease due to the increasing domestic demand. Japan is the largest consumer of Indian manganese.