RAS question
Asbestos in Rajasthan is found primarily in:
Correct answer: (B) Udaipur and Dungarpur.
In Rajasthan, asbestos is found primarily in the Udaipur and Dungarpur districts of the southern Aravalli belt.
Explanation
Asbestos, specifically chrysotile, is associated with the Aravalli hills of southern Rajasthan. It is found primarily in Udaipur and Dungarpur districts, rather than in a scattered set of districts across central Rajasthan, Hadoti, or western Rajasthan. The official Industrial Potential Survey for Dungarpur includes asbestos among the district's important minerals and records asbestos deposits there. Udaipur's industrial minerals also include asbestos, along with rock phosphate, calcite, limestone, barites, emerald, and marble. Therefore, Udaipur and Dungarpur form the correct pair because both lie in the same mineral belt of southern Rajasthan and the question asks for the state's primary asbestos locations.
Why the other options are wrong
- (A) Ajmer and Pali are not the primary locations for asbestos; it is found primarily in the southern Aravalli districts of Udaipur and Dungarpur.
- (C) Kota and Jhalawar are in the Hadoti region, whereas asbestos is associated with the Aravalli hills of southern Rajasthan.
- (D) Barmer and Jaisalmer are western desert districts, whereas asbestos is found in the southern Aravalli belt.
Concept
This tests knowledge of Rajasthan's mineral map, especially the district-wise distribution of non-metallic minerals across physiographic regions. RAS asks such questions repeatedly because mineral belts and district pairs are a standard part of Rajasthan's economic geography.