RAS question
Kota Stone is a type of which rock?
Correct answer: (C) Limestone (fine-grained).
Kota Stone is a fine-grained variety of limestone quarried in the Kota region of Rajasthan.
Explanation
Kota Stone is classified as limestone, more specifically a fine-grained variety. District Environment Plan, Kota identifies Kota stone as a fine-grained limestone quarried from Kota district, and also notes its use in stone-polishing tiles for floors and walls. Kota Stone quarrying is associated with Kota and Jhalawar districts, with common use as flooring. Its geological classification is limestone, not merely a trade name: Kota Stone is not just any building stone, and its commercial use as flooring does not change the fact that it is limestone.
Why the other options are wrong
- (A) Sandstone is a separate sedimentary rock type, whereas Kota Stone is specifically fine-grained limestone.
- (B) Granite is igneous, so it does not fit Kota Stone, which is identified as limestone in the Kota District Environment Plan.
- (D) Quartzite is metamorphic, while Kota Stone is treated here as a fine-grained limestone used as a building and flooring stone.
Concept
Rajasthan's economic geography links local minerals and rocks with district-based industries. RAS often asks about named regional resources like Kota Stone because they connect physical geography with practical uses.