Question.
Describe the distribution of coal in India.
( Chapter - 5 Minerals and Energy Resources, Cass X NCERT Contemporary India -II )
Answer.
Coal is a type of energy mineral and it is the only energy mineral (fossil fuel) that is available in abundance in India.
Coal is used by thermal power plants to generate electricity and is also used by industries and households. The iron and steel industry is the major consumer of coking coal.
Coal is formed due to the compression of plant material over millions of years. So, the quality of coal depends on the degree of compression and the depth and time of burial.
Distribution of Coal in India:
Coal is formed in India in two main geological ages – Gondwana and Tertiary deposits.
The Gondwana coal formed 200 million years ago and the tertiary coal deposits are 55 million years old. Gondwana coal is best suited for commercial use.
In India, Gondwana coal is found in the following areas-
- Damodar Valley
- son valley
- Godavari Valley
- Mahanadi Valley
- Wardha Valley
The Damodar Valley is located in the Indian states of Jharkhand and West Bengal. The important coalfields of the Damodar Valley are Jharia, Raniganj, and Bokaro.
Sone Valley-Singarauli in Madhya Pradesh is an important coalfield in the Sone Valley.
The Godavari Valley coalfield is located in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.
The Mahanadi Valley coalfield is mainly located in Chhattisgarh and Odisha.
The Wardha Valley coalfield is mainly located in the Chandrapura district of Maharashtra.
Tertiary coals are found in the northeastern states of Meghalaya, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, and Nagaland.
About the types of coal:
There are mainly four types of coal-
- peat carbon
- Brown coal
- bituminous coal
- anthracite
Peat carbon coal is the lowest grade of coal and is formed in decaying plant matter in marshy areas. Peat coal has low carbon content, high moisture content, and low heat capacity.
Lignite coal is a lump of low-grade brown coal and it is soft and has high moisture content. Lignite coal deposits are found in Neyveli in Tamil Nadu.
Bituminous coal is the most popular coal in India and is used for commercial use. It is found at deep depths. High-grade bituminous coal is used to make coking coal which is used to smelt iron in blast furnaces.
Anthracite is the highest quality hard coal.
You may like also:
ConversionConversion EmoticonEmoticon