Social Science (087) — AI-generated practice question

The mineral processing industry contributes to land degradation in the following ways:

1. Processing activities like grinding of limestone for cement industry and calcite and soapstone for ceramic industry generate huge quantities of dust in the atmosphere.
2. When this dust settles on the land, it retards the process of infiltration of water into the soil, degrading its quality.

Source: Land Degradation and Conservation Measures, Chapter 1

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The question specifically asks about the mineral processing industry, not mining. Students often confuse the two. The key points examiners look for are: (1) dust generation from grinding activities with specific examples, and (2) how that dust retards water infiltration. Both points together earn the 2 marks. Quote the exact examples (limestone/cement, calcite & soapstone/ceramics) to show textbook accuracy.