IAS Prelims Geography Q.5 – 2023 | Mineral Resources: Coastal Heavy Minerals
Authentic Classroom Explanation by IAS Monk
📍 The Question
Ilmenite and rutile, abundantly available in certain coastal tracts of India, are rich sources of which one of the following?
(a) Aluminium
(b) Copper
(c) Iron
(d) Titanium
Correct Answer: (d) Titanium
🎯 Theme of the Question
Indian Geography | Mineral Resources | Coastal Deposits | Economic Geology
This is a straightforward resource-identification question, testing knowledge of heavy mineral sands along Indian coasts.
🧠 Classroom Explanation
Let us first understand the context.
India possesses large reserves of heavy mineral sands, occurring mainly as:
- Beach placer deposits
- Coastal dune systems
- Some inland placer locations
These deposits contain a specific group of minerals.
🏖️ Heavy Mineral Sands of India
The major heavy minerals found in Indian beach sands include:
- Ilmenite
- Rutile
- Leucoxene
- Zircon
- Monazite
- Garnet
- Sillimanite
Among these, ilmenite and rutile are the most important titanium-bearing minerals.
🔬 Mineral-wise Breakdown
🔹 Ilmenite (FeO·TiO₂)
- Iron–titanium oxide mineral
- Primary source of titanium dioxide
🔹 Rutile (TiO₂)
- Almost pure titanium dioxide
- Highest-grade titanium mineral
Both minerals are processed to extract titanium and titanium dioxide, widely used in:
- Aerospace
- Defence
- Pigments (paints)
- Medical implants
📍 Distribution in India
Ilmenite and rutile occur abundantly along India’s coastline, notably:
- Gujarat coast (Moti Daman–Umbrat)
- Kerala coast
- Tamil Nadu coast
- Odisha coast
- Andhra Pradesh coast
📊 Final Assessment
| Mineral | Rich source of |
|---|---|
| Ilmenite | Titanium |
| Rutile | Titanium |
👉 Correct answer: (d) Titanium
❌ UPSC Elimination Logic
- Aluminium → Bauxite
- Copper → Chalcopyrite
- Iron → Hematite, Magnetite
- Ilmenite & Rutile → Titanium
🧩 Memory Hook
“Beach sands shine silver — titanium hides there.”
🧠 Prelims Strategy Insight
For mineral questions:
- Always link mineral name → chemical composition → metal
- Coastal placers = heavy minerals
- Titanium almost always = Ilmenite + Rutile
🧭 IAS Monk Whisper
Some of India’s strongest metals are born quietly where land meets sea.