Minor Minerals and Major Minerals in India

Minerals are the backbone of India’s industrial growth. Understanding major minerals and minor minerals in India is essential for UPSC, APPSC, SSC, and other competitive exams.

What Are Minerals?

Minerals are natural substances found in the Earth’s crust with definite physical and chemical properties. In India, mining and mineral regulation come under the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957 (MMDR Act).

Classification: Major and Minor Minerals in India

India’s minerals are divided into two broad categories major minerals and minor minerals for governance, taxation, and management.

This classification helps determine:

• Which government (Central or State) regulates a mineral.
• The royalty and lease period.
• Environmental and policy regulations.

What Are Major Minerals?

There is no explicit definition of major minerals in the MMDR Act, but all minerals that are not minor minerals are officially designated as major minerals in India. They include metallic, non-metallic, and energy minerals vital for industries and national development.

List of Major Minerals in India

Here is a list of major minerals in India, often asked in UPSC, APPSC and State PSC exams:

కేటగిరీ	Major Minerals Examples
Metallic Minerals	Iron Ore, Bauxite, Manganese, Copper, Lead, Zinc, Chromite, Gold
Non-Metallic Minerals	Limestone, Gypsum, Mica, Dolomite, Phosphate, Graphite
Energy Minerals	Coal, Lignite, Uranium, Petroleum, Natural Gas

These major minerals in India UPSC questions are frequently asked to test knowledge of mineral belts, industries, and resource distribution.

What Are Minor Minerals?

According to Section 3(e) of the MMDR Act, minor minerals mean:

“Building stones, gravel, ordinary clay, ordinary sand, and any other mineral declared as a minor mineral by the Central Government.”

In short minor minerals are mainly used for construction and local industries, while major minerals are essential for heavy industries like steel, power, and cement.

Legal Framework: MMDR Act 1957

• Major minerals – Regulated by the Central Government.
• Minor minerals – Regulated by the State Governments under Section 15 of the MMDR Act.
• Rules like the Mineral Concession Rules, 1960 and Mineral Conservation and Development Rules, 1988apply primarily to major minerals.

The classification between minor and major minerals is crucial for understanding governance and economic policies.

Distribution of Major Minerals in India

For UPSC and State PSC exams, knowing where major minerals are found in India is vital.

ఖనిజం	Major Producing States
Iron Ore	Odisha, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka
Coal	Jharkhand, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal
Bauxite	Odisha, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Maharashtra
Mica	Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand, Bihar
Copper	Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand
Zinc & Lead	Rajasthan (Zawar mines)
Limestone	Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh

Exam Tip:
Questions like “Which state leads in production of iron ore in India?” or “List of major minerals in India and their locations” are common in UPSC Prelims and State PSC exams.

Importance of Major and Minor Minerals

Economic Importance

• Major minerals power industries like steel, cement, aluminium, and electricity.
• Minor minerals like sand and gravel support housing, roads, and infrastructure.

Social Importance

• Provide employment to millions.
• Drive local economies in mineral-rich districts.

Environmental Aspect

• Both types of mining can impact ecosystems, requiring sustainable management.

Recent Update (2025)

Feb 2025: Ministry of Mines notified that barytes, felspar, mica and quartz will be treated as major minerals (instead of minor). This has implications for leases (50 yrs) and regulation.

October 2025: The గనుల మంత్రిత్వ శాఖ classified Limestone as a major mineral completely, removing the earlier dual classification (it was partly treated as a minor mineral when used for lime kilns).

This makes it a trending topic for major minerals and minor minerals UPSC 2025 questions.

Difference Between Major and Minor Minerals

కోణం	Major Minerals	Minor Minerals
Definition	All minerals not declared as minor	As per Sec 3(e) MMDR Act
Regulated by	Central Government	State Government
ఉదాహరణలు:	Iron ore, Coal, Bauxite, Copper, Limestone	Building stones, Gravel, Ordinary sand
Use	Heavy industries, power, export	Construction, local economy
Lease Period	Up to 50 years	Usually 5–10 years

Key Government Reforms

• 2021 Amendment – Introduced mineral auction transparency.
• 2023–24 – Increased royalty for certain major minerals.
• 2025 – Limestone, barytes, felspar, mica and quartz fully reclassified as major mineral; new policy for sustainable mining introduced.

Quick Recap

• Major minerals: Iron, Coal, Bauxite, Mica, Limestone, Copper, etc.
• Minor minerals: Building stones, Gravel, Sand, Clay.
• Recent update: Limestone now classified as a major mineral (2025).
• Exam tip: Prepare the list of major minerals in India + their producing states.

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