RAS question
Which state is the sole producer of lead and zinc ore in India?
Correct answer: (A) Rajasthan.
Rajasthan is the sole producer of lead and zinc ore in India.
Explanation
Rajasthan is the only state that produces lead and zinc ores in India. The Indian Bureau of Mines state review identifies Rajasthan as the sole producer of lead and zinc ores and places lead-zinc mineralisation at Zawar in Udaipur district, Bamania Kalan and Rajpura-Dariba in Rajsamand, and Rampura-Agucha in Bhilwara. Rajasthan is therefore not merely one important producer, but the exclusive producing state for this ore group. Zawar near Udaipur and Rampura-Agucha in Bhilwara are key anchor examples for remembering the answer in Rajasthan geography and Indian mineral distribution.
Why the other options are wrong
- (B) Karnataka is associated here with gold and iron ore, not with being India's sole producer of lead-zinc ore.
- (C) Jharkhand is associated here with copper and coal, while India's lead-zinc ore production is placed in Rajasthan.
- (D) Andhra Pradesh is associated here with mica and barytes, not with lead-zinc ore production.
Concept
This tests the mineral-distribution part of Indian geography, especially state-wise specialisation in metallic minerals. It recurs in RAS because Rajasthan's economy and geography questions often hinge on distinctive mineral resources and their locations.