Q1. [3] deep thorough-understanding
Despite having poor reserves of non-ferrous minerals overall, India has a strong base of ferrous mineral production. What does this imbalance suggest about the likely challenges India would face in developing its electrical and electronics industries? Use your knowledge of the properties and uses of non-ferrous minerals to justify your answer.
Generated by claude-sonnet-4-6 · 2026-06-26 13:33 · grounding rag
Model Answer
India's poor reserves of non-ferrous minerals pose serious challenges for its electrical and electronics industries:
- Copper deficiency: India is "critically deficient" in copper reserves. Since copper is malleable, ductile and a good conductor, it is essential for electrical cables and electronics. Shortage means heavy dependence on imports, raising production costs.
- Limited aluminium/bauxite processing: Although bauxite reserves exist, their processing into aluminium (used for conductivity and lightweight components in electronics) requires sustained mineral supply — any shortage disrupts manufacturing.
- Import dependence: Scarce non-ferrous minerals force India to import raw materials, making electrical and electronics industries costlier and less self-reliant, hampering industrial competitiveness.
Thus, despite a strong ferrous base, India's electronics growth is constrained by non-ferrous mineral scarcity.
Source: Chapter 5, Non-Ferrous Minerals
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Explanation
- The key contrast the question tests: India has abundant ferrous minerals (iron ore, manganese) but poor non-ferrous mineral reserves (copper, bauxite, lead, zinc).
- Examiners expect you to name specific minerals (copper, bauxite/aluminium) and link their properties (conductivity, malleability) to industry uses (electrical cables, electronics).
- The phrase "critically deficient" from the textbook is a good phrase to quote directly — it shows precise use of source material.
- Aim for 3 distinct points for 3 marks; one property-use link per point earns full credit.