RAS question
Asbestos in Rajasthan is found primarily in:
Correct answer: (B) Udaipur and Dungarpur.
In Rajasthan, asbestos is found primarily in Udaipur and Dungarpur districts of the southern Aravalli belt.
Explanation
Asbestos, specifically chrysotile, is associated with the Aravalli hills of southern Rajasthan. That is why the correct district pair is Udaipur and Dungarpur, not a scattered set of districts from central, Hadoti, or western Rajasthan. The official Industrial Potential Survey for Udaipur supports the mineral link by listing asbestos among the district's important industrial minerals, along with other minerals such as rock phosphate, calcite, limestone, barites, emerald and marble. The paired answer matters because the question asks where asbestos is found primarily in Rajasthan, and the southern Aravalli districts, Udaipur and Dungarpur, are the primary locations.
Why the other options are wrong
- (A) Ajmer and Pali are not the primary locations for asbestos, which is found primarily in the southern Aravalli districts of Udaipur and Dungarpur.
- (C) Kota and Jhalawar belong to the Hadoti side of Rajasthan, while asbestos is linked to the Aravalli hills of southern Rajasthan.
- (D) Barmer and Jaisalmer are western desert districts, whereas asbestos is located in the southern Aravalli belt.
Concept
This tests the Rajasthan minerals map, especially the district-wise association of non-metallic minerals with physiographic regions. RAS repeats such questions because mineral belts and district pairs are a standard part of Rajasthan economic geography.