RAS question
The Singhbhum region in Jharkhand is famous for deposits of:
Correct answer: (A) Iron ore and copper.
The Singhbhum region of Jharkhand is famous for iron ore and copper deposits.
Explanation
Singhbhum sits in Jharkhand's Chota Nagpur Plateau mineral region and is associated with both ferrous and non-ferrous minerals. The Jharkhand government's mineral table lists Iron Ore with Singhbhum as a location, and it also lists Copper Ore at Singhbhum and Giridih. Singhbhum is known for hematite iron ore and for the Singhbhum Copper Belt, with mines such as Ghatsila, Mosaboni and Rakha. RAS expects candidates to recognise the combined iron ore-copper identity of the Singhbhum region rather than a single-mineral association.
Why the other options are wrong
- (B) Petroleum is not a Singhbhum mineral association; the Jharkhand government mineral table lists iron ore and copper ore for Singhbhum, not petroleum.
- (C) Coal is not the primary Singhbhum mineral association because the cited Jharkhand table places coal in Jharia, Bokaro, Karanpura, Hutur, Auranga, Daltonganj, Deoghar and Rajmahal coal fields.
- (D) Mica only is wrong because the cited Jharkhand table places mica in Koderma, Giridih and Hazaribagh, while Singhbhum is listed for iron ore and copper ore.
Concept
Mineral-resource geography of India includes the Chota Nagpur Plateau belt and its region-mineral pairings. RAS frequently uses such location-based mineral facts in map-and-economy questions.