2. Metallic Minerals

Metallic minerals constitute the second most important group of minerals after fossil fuels. These minerals provide a strong base for the development of metallurgical industry, and thereby help the process of industrialisation and urbanisation. India has a substantial reserve of these minerals (Fig. 7.2).

Iron-Ore Iron ore is the most important mineral on which hinges the economy of a country. Iron ore is not found in pure form in the earth’s crust, rather it is often found mixed with lime, magnesium, phosphorus, silica, sulphur, and copper.

Types of Iron Ores There are four main types of iron ores found in India. They are: (i) Haematite, (ii) Magnetite, (iii) Limonite, and (iv) Siderite.

(i) Haematite ore (red-ochre): This is called ‘ oxide of iron’. Its metallic content varies between 60 to 70 per cent. It is a massive, hard, compact and lumpy ore with reddish or coral-red in colour. It is mainly found in the Dharwarian rocks. The main deposits of haematite ore are in Jharkhand (Iron- Series), Odisha (Mayurbhanj), Chhattisgarh (Bailadila Dalii-Rajhara), Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka (Kudermukh, Baba-Budan), Goa, Maharashtra, and Andhra Pradesh.

(ii) Magnetite: The magnetite ore is known as ‘black ore’. The metal content of magnetite varies between 60 to 65 per cent. The ore is either igneous of metamorphic. It is mainly found in the Dharwar and Cuddapah Systems of Karnataka (Dharwar, Shimoga Districts), Andhra Pradesh (Bellary District), Tamil Nadu (Salem, Tiruchirappalli districts), and Kerala states.

(iii) Limonite: It is yellowish in colour and is known as the ‘hydrated iron-oxide’. It is inferior and contains 35 to 50 per cent of metal. It is found in the iron-stone shales of the Damuda Series in Raniganj coal fields, Mirzapur District of Uttar Pradesh, Garhw al region of Uttarakhand, and the Kangra Valley of Himachal Pradesh.

Fig. 7.2 Metallic Minerals (Iron, Copper and Zinc)

(iv) Siderite: It is called as ‘iron carbonate’. Its iron content varies between 10 to 40 per cent. It is an inferior variety of iron ore and not economically extractable at most of the places.

Reserves Iron Ore According to the Geological Survey of India, the total reserves of all types of iron ore in the country are 25,500 million tonnes, out of which 14630 million tonnes is of good quality (India-2010). The statewise distribution of Iron ore in the country has been given in Table 7.1 (Fig. 7.2).

The production of iron ore in the country after Independence has been shown in Table 7.1

Table 7.1 India: Production of Iron Ore (1950-2006)

Source: Year Books & the Statistical Abstracts of India.

It may be seen from Table 7.1 that total production of iron ore in 1951 was only 4.15 million tonnes which rose to over 86.20 million tonnes in 2001 and reached 105 million tonnes in 2006. The growth trend of the iron ore production is significantly increasing.

The state-wise production of some of the important states has been given in the Table 7.2.

Table 7.2 India: Production of Iron Ore (2005-06)

Source: Statistical Abstract of India, 2006.

It may be seen from Table 7.2 that Karnataka is the leading producer of iron ore contributing about 25 per cent of the total production. Odisha contributing about 22 per cent is second in production, while Chhattisgarh and Goa with about 20 per cent and 18 per cent of the total iron ore production in the country are third and fourth respectively. The iron-ore of very high grade are limited to Bailadila (Chhattisgarh) and to a lesser extent in Bellary-Hosepet area of Karnataka and Barajamada sector inJharkhand and Odisha.

The important iron ore deposits and mining centres have been briefly described in the following section:

1. Karnataka: Karnataka is the leading producer of iron ore accounting for about one-fourth of the total ironore production of the country. The high grade deposits belonging to the haematite and magnetite categories are found in Kemmangundi in Bababudan Hills of the Chikmagalur District. The other important iron ore producing districts of Karnataka are Chitradurga, Dharwar, North Kannad, Shimoga, Bellary and Tumkur.

(i) Bababudan Hills’. Lying in Chikmagalur District of Karnataka they stretch over 22 km in length and 20 km in width. They are rich in haematite deposits with ferrous content of 60 to 65 per cent. The iron ore is mainly exported to Iran through the port of Mangalore.

(ii) Kudermukh Deposits'. The Kudermukh iron ore deposits lie in the Chikmagalur District of Karnataka. They contain iron ore of the magnetite category with a metal content of 50 to 65 per cent. The Kudermukh deposits were developed under an export agreement with Iran. The iron ore is exported through the seaport of Mangalore.

(Ui) Sandur Range". The Sandur Range stretches in the Bellary and Hosepet districts of Karnataka. The iron ore of this range is generally hard, compact and steel-grey. The ferrous content varies between 50-65 per cent. Its ore is supplied to the Vijayanagar Steel Plant.

2. Odisha: The contribution of Odisha in the total production of iron ore in the country is about 22 per cent. The most important deposits are found at Mayurbhanj (Badampahar), Banspani and Toda in Kendujhar (Keonjhar), Tomka Range in Cuttack, Kandadhar Pahar in Sundargarh, Sambalpur, and Hirapur Hills of Koraput district.

(i) Badampahar: Situated in the Mayurbhanj District of Odisha, Badam Pahar has rich deposits of iron ore. Its height is about 825 metres above sea level. It has 30 million tonnes of iron ore. Iron-ore from Badampahar is supplied to Bokaro, Durgapur, Jamshedpur, and Raurkela.

(ii) Bonaigarh Range: Situated in the district of Sundergarh, it is one of the most important iron ore bearing ranges. Iron ore is of haematite category which is supplied to Bokaro, Durgapur, Jamshedpur, and Raurkela.

(Hi) Mayurbhanj: Situated in Odisha, it is well known for the iron ore deposits of haematite type. The metal content is more than 65 per cent. Iron ore from

Mayurbhanj mines is sent to the iron and steel plants of Bokaro, Durgapur, Jamshedpur, and Raurkela.

3. Chhattisgarh:. This state has about 20 per cent of the total iron ore deposits of the country. Bailadila in the Bastar District and Dalli-Rajhara in the Durg district are the main iron ore producing regions of Chhattisgarh state. The iron ore belongs to the haematite and magnetite categories in which the metal content varies between 60 to 70 per cent. The Bailadila mine is the largest mechanised mine in India. A 270-km long slurry pipeline has been constructed to bring the ore from Bailadila to Vishakhapatnam Plant. The Bailadila iron ore is largely exported to Japan through the port of Vishakhapatnam.

The Dalli Rajhara range is about 32 km long with iron ore reserves of about 125 million tonnes. The ferrous content is about 70 percent. The deposits of this range are being worked by the Hindustan Steel Plant of Bhilai. Bilaspur, Jagdalpur, Raigarh, and Surguja arc the other iron ore producing districts of Chhattisgarh State.

(i) Dalli Rajhara: The Dalli Rajhara Range, well known for the iron ore depsoits, lies in the Durg District of Chhattisgarh. It is 32 km long with an estimated iron ore deposit of 120 million tonnes. The iron ore is supplied to the Hindustan Steel Plant at Bhilai.

(ii) Bailadila: Situated in the Bastar District of the Chhattisgarh state, it is known for the rich deposits of iron ore of the haematite category. This iron ore was deposited during the Dharwar Period about 2500 to 1800 million years back. The ore is mostly exported to Japan through the seaport of Vishakhapatnam.

4. Goa: Goa is the fourth largest producer of iron ore in India. Goa produces about 18 per cent of the total iron ore of the country. The iron ore of north Goa is of superior quality. The main deposits and mining centres are at Pirna-Adolpale-Asnora, Sanquelim Onda, Kundem-Surla, and Sirigao-Bicholim- Dalda in north Goa. The nearby Marmagao seaport is a big advantage to these mines for the export of iron ore. The iron ore is exported mainly to Japan and Iran.

5. Jharkhand : Jharkhand has 25 per cent of the iron ore reserves and accounts for about 14 per cent of the total production of iron ore of the country. Iron ore mining was first of all started at Singhbhum in 1904. The main iron ore deposits lie in Bonai Ragne extending for about 50 km. The famous mines are Naomandi, Daltenganj (Palamu District). Iron ore is also mined at Dhanbad, Hazaribagh, Ranchi, and Santhal Pargana.

Other States: Iron ore in small quantities is also mined in Maharashtra, (Chandrapur, and Ratnagiri); Tamil Nadu (Coimbatore, North Arcot, Ambedkar, Madurai, Salem, Tiruchirapalli, Tirunelveli); Andhra Pradesh (Anantapur, Cuddapah, Guntur, Khammam, Kurnool, Nellore); Rajasthan (Alwar, Bundi, Bhilwara, Jaipur, Sikar, Udaipur); Uttar Pradesh (Mirzapur), Uttarakhand (Almora, Garhwal, and Nainital); Himachal Pradesh (Kangra and Mandi); Haryana (Mahendergarh); West Bengal (Birbhum, Burdwan, Darjeeling);Jammu & Kashmir (Udhampur andjammu); Gujarat ( Bhavnagar, Junagarh, Vadodra); and Kerala (Kozhikode).

Export: India is the fifth largest exporter of iron ore in the world. About 55 per cent of our total iron ore production is exported to Japan, South Korea, West European countries, Iran, United Arab Emirates and other Gulf countries. Most of the export is made through the ports of Vishakhapatnam, Paradwip, Marmagao, and Mangalore.

Manganese India has the second largest reserves of manganese in the world after Zimbabwe, and is the fifth largest producer after Brazil, Gabon, South Africa, and Australia (Fig. 7.3). It is used mainly for the manufacturing of iron and steel, bleaching powder, insecticides, pesticides, paints, dry-batteries, photography, etc. The total reserves of manganese-ore in the country are placed at 380 million tonnes (India-2010) The regional distribution of manganese has been given in Table 7.3.

Table 7.3 India: Distribution of Manganese (2005-06)

(Contd.) (Contd)

Source: Statistical Abstract of India, 2007.

1. Odisha: The state of Odishais the single most important state in the production of manganese accounting for over 38 per cent of the total production. The Gondite deposits in Sundargarh and khondolite and kodurite deposits in Kalahandi and Koraput are rich in manganese. Manganese is also mined in Bolangir and Sambhalpur districts of Odisha.

2. Maharashtra: Maharashtra is the second largest producer of Manganese, accounting for about 23 per cent of the total production. In Maharashtra, manganese is found in Bhandara, Nagpur, and Ratnagiri districts. The Ratnagiri ore is, however, of superior quality.

3. Madhya Pradesh: About 20 per cent of the total manganese production comes from the state of Madhya Pradesh. Balaghat and Chhindwara are the main districts in which it is mined.

4. Karnataka: The state of Karnataka produces about 13 per cent of the total production of manganese of the country. Its main deposits are in the districts of North Kannada, Shimoga, Bellary, Chitradurga, and Tumkur.

5. Andhra Pradesh: About four-and-a-half per cent of the total manganese production of India is done in Andhra Pradesh. Srikakulam and Vishakhapatnam are the leading producer districts of manganese in Andhra Pradesh. It is also mined in Cuddapah, Guntur, and Vijayanagram.

In addition to these, manganese is also mined in small quantities in Goa, Gujarat (Panchmahal and Vadodara); Rajasthan (Banswara and Udaipur); Jharkhand (Dhanbad and Singhbhum). The growth pattern and production of manganese in India has been shown in Table 7.4.

Table 7.4 India: Production of Manganese Ore (1950-2006) (in lakh tonnes)

Source: Statistical Abstracts of India, 2007.

It may be seen from Table 7.4 that in 1950-51 the total production of manganese was only about 11 lakh tonnes which rose to over 17 lakh tonnes in 2005-06.

Nearly 80 per cent of the manganese production is consumed within the country, while the remaining is exported to USA, UK, Germany, France, Italy, Netherlands, Belgium, Czech Republic, Slovakia, and East European countries including Ukraine.

Copper Copper is highly ductile, strong and good conductor of electricity. It is mainly used in electrical machinery, automobile, stainless steel. When alloyed with zinc, it is known as ‘brass’ and with tin as ‘bronze. Rajasthan has the largest deposits of copper-ore followed by Madhya Pradesh, andjharkhand. In the production of copper-ore, however, Madhya Pradesh stands first, followed by Rajasthan andjharkhand. The total resources of copper are about 1.39 billion tonnes with a metal content of 11,418 thousand tonnes (India 2012, p. 7633). The distribution of copper in India has been given in Table 7.5.

TabIe 7.5 India: Distribution of Copper (2005-06)

Source: Statistical Abstracts of India, 2007.

1. Madhya Pradesh: The state of Madhya Pradesh is the largest producer of copper in India. The state has a large deposit of copper in Taregaon in Malanjkhand belt of Balaghat District. It is also found in Bargaon of the Betul district.

2. Rajasthan: Copper is found at Khetri-Singhana belt in Jhunjhunu District. It is also mined in Ajmer, Alwar, Bhilwara, Chittorgarh, Dungarpur,

Jaipur, Pali, Sikar, and Sirohi districts. The Koh-Dariba (mountain), about 48 km to the south-west of Alwar city and Delwara-Kirovli area about 30 km from Udaipur are the other important producers of copper ore.

3. Jharkhand: It is the third largest producer state of copper in the country. Copper is mined in Ilazaribagh, Santhal Pargana (Jharkhand), Gaya, and Palamu districts (Bihar).

Table 7.6 India: Production of Copper (1950-2006)

Source; Statistical Abstracts of India, 2007.

It may be observed from Table 7.6 that the highest production of copper was in 1990-91 w hen it reached 5255 thousand tonnes. Its production has a declining trend during the last 25 years as in 2005 06 only about 156 thousand tonnes of copper was produced.

Not being self-sufficient in copper, India is importing substantial quantity of copper from Zimbabwe, Australia, USA, Mexico, and Japan.

Chilpi Series: It stretches over parts of Balaghat, and Chhindwara districts of Madhya Pradesh. The series consists of quartzite, copper-pyrite, mica schist, and marble. The copper obtained from this series is used in the Malanjkhand Copper Plant.

Ghatsila-. Located in Jharkhand, it is a copper smelting plant. It is an electrolytic refinery. It manufactures brass sheets. It also obtains gold, silver, and nickel in the processing of copper.

Khetri: It is an integrated copper mining-cum-ore refining plant in thejhunjhunu District of Rajasthan. It was established in 1967. It also obtains copper ore from the Malanjkhand copper mines of Madhya Pradesh. It also has a sulphuric acid plant, and a fertiliser plant.

Korba: Bharat Aluminium Company Limited (BALCO) has an aluminium plant located at Korba, Bilaspur District of Chhattisgarh. It obtains bauxite deposits from the Amarkantak region and electricity from the Korba Thermal Power Plant. The government has disinvested its share to a private company, Sterlite.

Malanjkhand'. It is an open cast copper mine in Balaghat District of Madhya Pradesh. A copper plant has been established at Malanjkhand. The copper ore is also sent to the Khetri Copper Plant of Rajasthan.

Rakha Project'. The Rakha copper Plant is located in the Rakha District of Singhbhum of Jharkhand. It obtains copper ore from the mines of Rakha.

Tajola: The Tajola Copper Plant is located in the Raigadh town in Maharashtra. The plant has imported copper cathodes. It manufactures copper rods.

Chromite Chromite is an oxide of iron and chromium. It is widely usedin metallurgical and chemical industries. Odisha, accounting for about 99 per cent of the total production, is the largest producer of chromite. It is mined in Cuttack, Dhenkanal and Keonjhar districts. Karnataka is the second largest producer, hi Karnataka, itis mined in Hassan district. Some chromite has been discovered in the Krishna Distric t of Andhra Pradesh and the Tamenglong and Ukhrul districts of Manipur.

Uranium Itis mined atjaduguda, Bhatin, Narwapahar and Turamdih (Singhbhum East), Jharkhand. Lead Lead is widely used because of its heaviness, malleability, softness and bad conductivity of heat. It is used in alloys, cable cover, lead-sheeting, ammunition, paints, glass making, paints making, automobiles, aeroplanes, type-writers, calculating machines, printing and rubber industry. Lead does not occur free in nature. It is obtained from galena which is found in association with limestone, sandstones and calcareous slates. According to an estimate, India has lead reserves of about 525 million tonnes (India 2010).

Table 7.7 Production of Lead in India (1950-2006)

Source: Statistical Abstracts of India, 2007.

Rajasthan is the leading producer of lead. Itis mined in Udaipur (Zawar, Rikhabdeo, and Debari), Dungarpur (Ghugra and Mando), Banswara, and Alwar districts.

In Andhra Pradesh its deposits are in Cuddapah, Guntur, Khammam, Kurnool, North Arcot-Ambedkar and South Arcot (Tamil Nadu). It is also mined in Uttarakhand (Tehri, and Pithoragarh);

Jharkhand (Ilazaribagh, Palamu, Ranchi, and Singhbhum); in Madhya Pradesh (Gwalior, Hoshingabad and Shivpuri); Himachal Pradesh (Kangraand Kullu); Jammu and Kashmir (Baramulla and Udhampur); and West Bengal (Jalpaiguri and Darjeeling districts).

India is not self-reliant in lead and therefore, has to import about 75 per cent of its requirements from Australia, Canada, and Myanmar.

Zinc Zinc is found in association with lead and silver. It is mainly used for alloying and for manufacturing galvanised sheets. It is also used for dry-batteries, white pigments, electrodes, textiles, die-casting, rubber industry, and for making collapsible tubes containing drugs, and pastes.

Rajasthan is the leading producer of zinc accounting for about 99 per cent of the total production. Small quantities of zinc are obtained from Sikkim, Jammu, Bihar, M.P., Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Meghalaya and Kashmir (Udhampur District), and South Arcot Vallalar of Tamil Nadu. India imports about 80 per cent of its requirements from Australia, Canada, Russia, and Zaire. The total production of zinc in 2008-09 was 1145 thousand*

Tungsten Tungsten is obtained from the wolfram ore. It is a self hardening mineral and therefore, used in steel industry, manufacturing of ammunition, armour plates, heavy guns, hard-cutting tools, etc. The total resources of Tungsten ore in the country are about 88 million tonnes.

Tungsten deposits are found al Deganancar Rawat Hills in Rajasthan, Bankura District of West Bengal, Sakoli basin in Bhandaraand Nagpur districts of Maharashtra, and Kolar mines in Mysore. It is also found in Chittoor, and East Godavari District of Andhra Pradesh, Ahmedabad District of Gujarat, and Singhbhum District of Jharkhand,

Bauxite Aluminium is obtained from bauxite. Bauxite is an oxide of aluminium. It is not a specific, mineral but a rock consisting mainly of hydrated aluminium oxides. It is a clay like substance which is pinkish, whitish or reddish in colour depending on the amount of iron content. The total reserves of bauxite are about 3290 million tonnes (India, 2010, p. 690).

Table 7.8 India: Production of Bauxite (1950-51 to 2005-06)

Source: Statistical Abstracts of India, 2007.

It may be observed from Table 7.8 that the production of bauxite has increased from 68 thousand tonnes in 1950-51 to 9854 thousand tonnes in 2005-06. Still, India has to import a substantial proportion of its requirements from abroad.

The distribution and production of bauxite in the different states of India has been given in Table 7.9 (Fig. 7.3). tonnes (India 2010, p.690).

Table 7.9 India: Production of Bauxite (1950-2006)

Source: Statistical Abstracts of India, 2007.

1. Odisha: Odisha stands first in the production of bauxite, producing more than 50 per cent of the total bauxite. The Kalahandi-Koraput bell which extends into Andhra Pradesh is the main bauxite deposit region. In addition to this, bauxite is also obtained from the districts of Bolangir, Sambalpur and Sundargarh. The new aluminium plant located at Damanjoli and Doragurha provide a good market for bauxite in this region.

2. Gujarat: About 16 per cent of the total bauxite production is from the state of Gujarat. In Gujarat, the main bauxite depsoits arc found between the Gulf of Kachchh and the Gulf of Khambat (Arabian Sea) through the districts of Bhavnagar, Junagarh, and Amreli. It is mined in Kheda and Sabarkantha.

3. Jharkhand-Bihar: In Jharkhand, bauxite is obtained from Dumka, Gumla, Lohardaga, Munger, Palamu, and Ranchi districts. The Lohardaga mines are, however, known for high grade bauxite deposits.

4. Maharashtra: About 10 per cent of the total bauxite production comes from Maharashtra. Kolhapur, Pune, Ratnagiri, Satara, and Thane are its main producing centres.

5. Chhattisgarh: In Chhattisgarh, bauxite is obtained from the Maikal Range, Amarkantak Plateau, Bilaspur, Raigarh, and Surguja. Its share in the total production is about 6 per cent.

6. Tamil Nadu: The Madurai, Nilgiri and Salem districts are known for the production of bauxite accounting for about 2.75 per cent of the total production.

7. Madhya Pradesh: In Madhya Pradesh, bauxite is mined in the districts of Balaghat, Jabalpur, Katni, Mandla, and Shahdol.

Bauxite is also mined in the states of Andhra Pradesh (East Godavari, West Godavari, and Vishakhapatnam districts); Kerala (Kannur, Kollam, Thiruvananthapuram); Rajasthan (Kota); Uttar Pradesh (Banda, Lalitpur), Goa, and Jammu and Kashmir (Jammu, Poonch and Udhampur districts).

Nearly 80 per cent of the total bauxite produced is used for the production of aluminium. Italy and UK are the largest importers of Indian bauxite accounting for 60 per cent and 25 per cent of the total export respectively. The remaining is exported to Germany, Belgium, and Japan. Some of the important aluminium plants are as under:

Balco: The Bharat Aluminium Company Limited (BALCO) was incorporated on 27 November, 1965 as a Centred Public Sector Undertaking with an integrated Aluminium Complex at Korba (Chhattisgarh). The Government of India disinvested 51 percent equity in the company along with the transfer of management control in favour of M/s Sterlite Industries (India) Limited with effect from 2nd March 2001, and consequently, the company has ceased to be a public sector undertaking.

Renukoot (HINDALCO): The Renukut aluminium plant was commissioned in 1958 about 160 km away from Mirzapur (Uttar Pradesh). It obtains bauxite from Lohardaga (Jharkhand) and electricity from the Rihand Dam, and the thermal power station near the plant.

Madras Aluminium Company (MALCO): This aluminium plant was commissioned in 1965 near the Mettur Dam (Salem District). It obtains bauxite from the Shevaroy Hills (Tamil Nadu) and electricity from the Mettur llydel Project.

Koraput Aluminium Plant (NALCO,. The Koraput aluminium plant was commissioned in the Koraput District in 1981. This plant was running in loss and therefore, the central government disinvested in this plant in 2006.

Gold Gold is a precious metal used for making ornaments, and is known as an international currency. India has about 390 million tonnes with a metal content of 491 tonnes of gold ore reserves (India 2010). The production of gold in India has been shown in Table 7.10.

Ta b Ie 7.10 India: Production of Gold (1951-2011)

Source: Statistical Abstracts of India, 2011.

It may be seen from Table 7.10 that the total production of gold in the country was 7041 kg in 1950-51 which declined to 3900 kg in 2011. About 90 per cent of the total gold is produced in the Karnataka state followed by Rajasthan, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Bihar and Andhra Pradesh. There are three important gold fields in the country, namely, (i) Kolar Gold Field, Mysore (Karnataka), (ii) Hutti Gold Field in Raichur (Karnataka), and (iii) Ramgiri Gold Field in Anantapur District (Andhra Pradesh).

Kolar Gold Mines: Mining from the Kolar Goki Fields was started first in 1871. This field still contributes about 60 per cent of the total gold production in the country. The gold mines of Kolar Field are more than 3000 metres deep. Most of the gold has already been taken out and it is not economically viable to extract gold from a depth of more than three kilometers.

1. Karnataka: Karnataka stands first in the reserves and production of gold in India. It is obtained mainly from the Kolar, Dharwar, Hassan and Raichur districts. Some gold deposits have also been found in Belgaum, Bellary, Chikmaglur, Gulbarga, Mandya, and Shimoga districts. Hutti Gold Mine Company is India’s only producer of gold.

2. Andhra Pradesh: Andhra Pradesh is the second largest producer of gold in India. The main deposits ol gold in Andhra Pradesh are found in Ramagiri (Anantapur District). In addition to this, gold is also found in Chittoor and Kurnool districts.

Placer or Alluvial Gold: The gold obtained from the sand and sedimentary deposits of the rivers is known as placer gold. Placer gold is found in the Subamrekha (Gold Streak) river of Jharkhand. Placer gold is also found near Lowa in Singhbhum District and some other parts of the Chotanagpur Plateau.

Placer gold is also found in the sand of Dras, and Suru rivers of Kargil (J & K), Shimla and Bilaspur in Himachal Pradesh, Punna Puzha and Chaiyar Puzha rivers of Kerala, Balaghat and Seoni districts of Madhya Pradesh, Bastar, Raigarh, and Raipur of Chhattisgarh and and Purulia District of West Bengal.

Champion Series: It is named after Champion reef in the Kolar Gold Field. It is the oldest gneiss in Karnataka. In fact, it is one of the oldest metamorphic sedimentary deposits in India. Known for its gold deposits, it has quartz and muscovite.

Silver Silver is also a precious metal. India, however, is not very rich in silver deposits. It is an important currency metal, and used in the manufacture of chemicals, electroplating, photography, and coloring for glasses.

It is found in association with lead and zinc. Zawar mines of Udaipur (Rajasthan) are the largest producer of silver. In Hindustan Zinc Smelter (Udaipur), it is obtained as a by product of zinc and lead smelting. The Tundoo Lead Smelter in Dhanbad (Jharkhand) is also an important source. Silver is also produced by Kolar Gold Fields and Hutti Gold mines (Raichur) of Karnataka during refining of gold. The Hindustan Copper Limited at Maubhandar Smelter (Singhbhum, Jharkhand) obtains silver from copper mines. Silver is also produced at the Vishakhapatnam Smelter in Andhra Pradesh from lead concentrates.