BPSC CCE Prelims
Resources of India Previous Year Questions (PYQs)
Showing solved Previous Year Questions for Chapter: Resources of India
Topic Breakdown: Scroll →
Bihar produces ______% of pyrite of whole India?
Detailed Explanation:
Bihar accounts for approximately 95% of India's total pyrite production.
The major deposits are located in the Amjhore area of Rohtas district, operated by the Bihar State Mineral Development Corporation.
Gold is found in which district of Bihar?
Detailed Explanation:
Jamui District in Bihar contains significant gold reserves, with deposits identified at Sono, Karmatia, and Jhajha by the Geological Survey of India (GSI).
Estimates suggest that over 44% of India's total gold reserves may be located in Jamui, making it the primary gold-bearing district in Bihar among the given options.
Which State of India is called as the State of Minerals?
Detailed Explanation:
Odisha (formerly Orissa) is called the "State of Minerals" due to possessing the largest variety and quantity of mineral deposits in India.
It is the top producer of iron ore, chromite, and bauxite, and holds 98% of India's chromite reserves. Key mining districts include Keonjhar, Sundargarh, and Mayurbhanj, which supply critical raw materials for steel and aluminium industries nationally.
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Which of the following corundum and cryolite are important ores?
Detailed Explanation:
Corundum (Al₂O₃) and Cryolite (Na₃AlF₆) are both important ores of Aluminium.
Corundum is aluminium oxide, used as an abrasive and includes gem varieties like ruby and sapphire; Cryolite is used as a flux in the Hall–Héroult process to lower the melting point during electrolytic extraction of aluminium.
In which of the following states of India has major reserves of coal?
Detailed Explanation:
Jharkhand holds major coal reserves in Jharia coalfield (largest producer of coking coal) and Bokaro coalfield.
Chhattisgarh has extensive reserves in Korba and Hasdeo-Arand coalfields, making it a leading coal-producing state.
Odisha contains vast deposits in Talcher and IB Valley coalfields, with Talcher being one of India's largest coal reserves.
These three states together account for approximately 70% of India's total coal reserves.
With reference to the mineral production in Bihar, consider the following statements:
- Rohtas has the highest deposit of pyrites.
- Limestone is found in Kaimur(Bhabhua), Munger(Monghyr) and Rohtas districts.
- Gold deposits are found in the Jamui district.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Detailed Explanation:
✅ Statement 1 – Correct: Rohtas district has the highest deposits of pyrites in Bihar, primarily found in the Amjhor and Tilothu areas.
✅ Statement 2 – Correct: Limestone deposits are extensively found in Kaimur (Bhabhua), Munger (Monghyr), and Rohtas districts of Bihar.
✅ Statement 3 – Correct: Gold deposits are found in the Karmatia-Hutti belt in Jamui district, Bihar.
Since all three statements (1, 2, and 3) are correct, the answer is Option 4 (More than one of the above).
Which of the following river valleys is rich in coal reserves in India?
Detailed Explanation:
✅ Mahanadi River Valley – Correct: Extensive coal reserves in Odisha and Chhattisgarh, including the Talcher and Ib River coalfields.
✅ Damodar River Valley – Correct: Known as the "Ruhr of India", contains major coalfields like Jharia, Raniganj, and Bokaro in Jharkhand and West Bengal.
✅ Son River Valley – Correct: Significant coal deposits in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, including the Sohagpur and Johilla coalfields.
All three river valleys are rich in Gondwana coal reserves, making "More than one of the above" the correct answer.
Pine, Fir, Spruce, Cedar, Larch and Cypress are famous timber-yielding plants of which several also occur widely in the hilly regions of India. All these belong to
Detailed Explanation:
Pine, Fir, Spruce, Cedar, Larch, and Cypress are all conifers, which belong to gymnosperms—seed plants with naked seeds borne on cones, not enclosed in ovaries.
Angiosperms are flowering plants with seeds in fruits; monocotyledons and dicotyledons are angiosperm subdivisions. These timber trees lack flowers and produce exposed seeds on cone scales.
Therefore, all listed timber-yielding plants belong to gymnosperms, making Option 1 the correct answer.
The most important ore of aluminum
Detailed Explanation:
Bauxite is the primary ore of aluminum, containing 30–60% aluminum oxide (Al₂O₃). It is a reddish-brown sedimentary rock formed by tropical weathering of aluminum-rich rocks.
Calamine is a zinc carbonate ore, calcite is calcium carbonate (limestone), and galena is lead sulfide—none contain aluminum.
Therefore, bauxite being the sole aluminum ore, Option 1 is the correct answer.
Ilmenite, which is widely distributed along the Indian coastline, is a mineral of
Detailed Explanation:
Ilmenite (FeTiO₃) is a black iron-titanium oxide mineral, serving as the primary ore for titanium extraction. It is widely distributed along Indian coastlines, particularly in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Odisha beach sands.
Tungsten is extracted from wolframite, gallium from bauxite, and tin from cassiterite—none are ilmenite sources.
Therefore, ilmenite is a titanium mineral, making Option 2 the correct answer.
What is the most famous feature of Chiria located in West Singhbhum?
Detailed Explanation:
Chiria in West Singhbhum district, Jharkhand is renowned for its massive iron ore deposits, ranking among India's largest reserves with high-grade hematite ore exceeding 2 billion tonnes.
The region has no major dam, bird sanctuary, or national park; mining operations dominate the landscape and economy.
Therefore, iron ore mining is the most famous feature, making Option 1 the correct answer.
Combustion of underground coal occurs in the State of
Detailed Explanation:
Jharkhand has the highest incidence of underground coal fire zones in India, particularly in the Jharia coalfield (Dhanbad district), which has been burning for over 100 years due to spontaneous combustion and uncontrolled mining.
West Bengal's Raniganj, Bihar's limited coal areas, and Odisha's coalfields also experience some fires, but none match Jharkhand's scale and severity of underground combustion.
Therefore, Jharkhand has the most extensive underground coal combustion, making Option 3 the correct answer.
Which State in India is the leading producer of thorium?
Detailed Explanation:
Kerala is India's leading producer of thorium, extracted from monazite sands found abundantly along its coastal belt, particularly in districts like Kollam and Thiruvananthapuram.
Thorium is a radioactive mineral used in nuclear fuel, ceramics, welding rods, and aerospace alloys. India holds the world's largest thorium reserves, with Kerala and Tamil Nadu accounting for the bulk.
Therefore, Kerala is the correct answer, making Option 3 correct.
Where was the first coal mine in India mined?
Detailed Explanation:
Raniganj coalfield in West Bengal, along the western bank of the Damodar River, was the site of India's first coal mine during the British period. It belongs to the Gondwana Super Group and remains India's largest coalfield.
Dhanbad and Jharia (in Jharkhand) and Asansol (in West Bengal) are important coal centers but were developed later, not the first mining site.
Therefore, Raniganj being the first coal mine site, Option 1 is the correct answer.