RAS question
Rajasthan is the leading producer of feldspar in India. Which of the following districts is a major feldspar producer?
Correct answer: (C) Ajmer.
Ajmer is a major feldspar-producing district in Rajasthan, and the state mining department identifies it as the leading feldspar producer in the state.
Explanation
Rajasthan's Department of Mines and Geology identifies Ajmer district as the leading feldspar producer in the state. The Beawar and Kishangarh belt is a well-known feldspar-producing area. Rajasthan is a major feldspar state, with sizeable feldspar resources and production of over 60% of India's total feldspar. Feldspar is an industrial mineral used in ceramics, glass and pottery, and RAS preparation requires linking the mineral with its district-level concentration and downstream use.
Why the other options are wrong
- (A) Barmer is associated with oil and gas, while Rajasthan's important feldspar-producing districts are led by Ajmer rather than Barmer.
- (B) Kota is linked with limestone and cement, not with the feldspar belt led by Ajmer.
- (D) Jaisalmer is known for limestone rather than significant feldspar, and Rajasthan's important feldspar-producing districts are led by Ajmer rather than Jaisalmer.
Concept
Rajasthan's district-wise distribution of industrial minerals includes major non-metallic minerals used by local industries. The RAS economy syllabus often expects candidates to connect a mineral with its leading producing district and downstream use.