Question

Which state of India has the largest reserves of monazite with a high thorium content?
A. Karnataka
B. Maharashtra
C. Gujarat
D. Kerala

Answer 1

Hint: Monazite is an element that contains rare earth elements and is a reddish-brown phosphate material. It is considered a group of minerals. It is an important ore for lanthanum, cerium, and thorium. The countries of India, South Africa, and Madagascar have large deposits of monazite sand. The deposits of monazite sand that are in India are particularly rich in monazite.

Complete answer: - Option A: Karnataka is a state in the south-western region of India and is the largest state of South India having an area of 191,791 sq. km, making it the sixth-largest state in India. It is famous for its black cotton soil. Hence, this is an incorrect option.
- Option B: Maharashtra is a state in the western region of India and the third-largest by area having an area of 307,713 sq. km and is the second-most populous state. The soil in Maharashtra is famous for its production of cotton, banana, and grapes. Hence, this is an incorrect option.
- Option C: Gujarat is a state in the western coastline of India with a coastline coverage of 1600 km. It is the fifth-largest state having an area of 196,024 sq. km. The soil found in Gujarat is clayey and the texture is sandy loam to loam. Hence, this is an incorrect option.
- Option D: Kerala is a state in south India on the Malabar Coast and is the twenty-fifth largest state having an area of 38,863 sq. km. The soil in Kerala is acidic, having high phosphate capacity and low water holding capacity, and has the largest reserves of monazite in India. The monazite found is high in thorium content. Hence, this is the correct option.

Therefore, The correct answer is Option D.

Note: Monazite contains 2.5% thorium and it is found in most rocks and in the soil. India has a thorium reserve of 11.93 million tonnes and the majority is found in the coastal states of India namely Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Odisha.