🪨 Natural Resources
Soils, minerals, water resources, and energy.
🪨 India's Natural Wealth
Natural resources are things in the environment that are useful to humans — minerals, water, soil, forests, and fossil fuels. India is rich in many resources but faces challenges in their sustainable use.
Types of natural resources:
• Renewable: Solar, wind, water, forests (if managed sustainably)
• Non-renewable: Coal, petroleum, natural gas, minerals — once used, gone
Soil types of India (6 major types):
1. Alluvial soil — most widespread, most fertile. Ganga plains, coastal areas. Khadar and Bhangar types. Best for wheat, rice, sugarcane.
2. Black soil (Regur) — Deccan plateau, Maharashtra, AP, MP. Excellent for cotton (holds moisture). Self-ploughing — cracks in dry season.
3. Red and Yellow soil — Eastern Ghats, Deccan plateau (UP, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh). Low fertility, iron oxide gives red colour.
4. Laterite soil — Kerala, TN, Karnataka hills, Assam, Odisha. High iron content, poor for crops but good for tea and coffee.
5. Arid/Desert soil — Rajasthan. Sandy, low moisture, low organic matter.
6. Forest soil — Himalayan and other forest regions. Rich humus, suitable for orchards.
• Iron Ore — Jharkhand, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka. India has 4th largest reserves. Main mines: Singhbhum (Jharkhand), Bellary (Karnataka), Bailadila (CG).
• Coal — Jharkhand (Jharia = largest coal field), WB (Raniganj = oldest), MP, Odisha. India has 3rd largest coal reserves globally.
• Manganese — Odisha, Karnataka, MP. Used in steel making.
• Mica — Jharkhand, Rajasthan, AP. India = world's largest mica producer. Used in electronics.
• Bauxite (Aluminium ore) — Odisha, Jharkhand, Gujarat, Maharashtra.
• Copper — Rajasthan (Khetri = largest copper mine), Jharkhand.
• Petroleum: Digboi (Assam, 1867 — oldest oil field), Mumbai High (offshore, largest), Rajasthan (Barmer, recent), Gujarat (Ankleshwar).
• Natural Gas: Mumbai High, Bay of Bengal (Krishna-Godavari basin — KG-D6 field by Reliance), Rajasthan.
• India imports ~85% of its crude oil — major economic burden.
• Renewable energy: India is world's 3rd largest solar energy producer. Target: 500 GW renewable by 2030. Solar parks: Bhadla (Rajasthan, world's largest), Pavagada (Karnataka).
India's Mineral Map
AnimationJharkhand, Odisha, and Chhattisgarh form India's mineral heartland — rich but economically underdeveloped.
Soil Types — Quick Reference
Interactive1. Moisture retention: Black soil has very high water-holding capacity due to fine clay particles. Cotton needs consistent moisture during its growing period — black soil provides this naturally.
2. Self-ploughing: When dry, black soil develops deep cracks — allowing air and water to penetrate deep into the soil. This "self-ploughing" action improves aeration.
3. Rich in minerals: Black soil contains calcium carbonate, magnesium, potash, and lime — nutrients that cotton needs for boll development.
4. Formation: Formed from lava rock (basalt) of the Deccan plateau — volcanic origin makes it mineral-rich.
Found in: Maharashtra, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh — exactly where cotton is grown most. Also good for jowar, wheat, gram, sunflower.
Causes:
• Deforestation — tree roots hold soil; bare land erodes quickly
• Overgrazing — cattle eat grass, exposing soil
• Heavy rainfall — especially on slopes (splash erosion, sheet erosion, gully erosion)
• Wind erosion in arid areas (Rajasthan, Haryana)
• Improper farming — ploughing along slopes instead of contour
Prevention:
• Contour ploughing — plough along hill contours (not down slope) to trap water
• Terrace farming — step-like terraces on hill slopes (common in NE India)
• Strip cropping — alternate strips of crops and grass to break wind/water flow
• Shelter belts — plant trees in rows to break wind (used in Rajasthan)
• Afforestation — plant trees on bare land
• Check dams — small dams to slow water flow and trap sediment