RAS question
Limestone deposits in Rajasthan are primarily used in:
Correct answer: (A) Cement industry.
Limestone deposits in Rajasthan are primarily used in the cement industry.
Explanation
Rajasthan's limestone deposits are linked most directly with cement because limestone's principal industrial use is in the cement industry. Indian Bureau of Mines, Indian Minerals Yearbook 2012 records cement as the major consuming industry for limestone, with far smaller consumption by iron and steel, chemical, and other industries. In Rajasthan, major cement plants are found in districts such as Chittorgarh, Kota, Sawai Madhopur, Jodhpur, and Nagaur, and Rajasthan is a leading cement-producing state. So the exam is not asking for every possible use of limestone; it is testing the dominant use that explains the mineral's economic importance in Rajasthan.
Why the other options are wrong
- (B) Jewellery making is wrong because cement, not ornaments, is the primary use of Rajasthan limestone.
- (C) The textile industry is wrong because limestone has other possible industrial uses, while cement is the principal use.
- (D) Electronic components are wrong because electronics is not supported as a primary use of limestone.
Concept
This tests Rajasthan's mineral-based industries, especially how a raw mineral is connected to its dominant downstream industry. It recurs in RAS because limestone, cement plants, and industrial location are standard Geography of Rajasthan linkages.