Context:
India is looking for overseas copper deposits to secure copper supply
Copper:
- Malleable and ductile
- Resistant to corrosion
- High thermal and electrical conductivity
- Recyclable without quality loss
- Top 3 Countries (Producers) – Chile, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Peru
- Applications –
- Electrical Industry: Used in wiring, motors, transformers
- Construction: Utilized in roofing, plumbing, heating systems
- Automobile Industry: Essential for wiring, radiators, connectors
- Electronics: Integrated circuits, semiconductors
- Mining Process –
- Open-pit mining for surface-level deposits
- Underground mining for deeper deposits
- Leaching: Chemical process for extracting copper from ores
- Refining: Smelting and electrolytic refining for pure copper
Copper Industry in India:
- Listed as a Critical Mineral
- Important Reserves –
- Rajasthan: Khetri and Jhunjhunu belt
- Madhya Pradesh: Malanjkhand mine (largest open-pit copper mine in India)
- Jharkhand: Singhbhum copper belt
- Challenges to Copper Production in India –
- High Production Costs: Rising energy and labor costs
- Environmental Concerns: Deforestation, pollution from mining activities
- Policy and Regulatory Issues: Delays in clearances, inconsistent policies
- Government Initiatives –
- National Mineral Policy (NMP) 2019: Promote domestic mining, reduce import dependence
- Mining Reforms: Simplified auction processes, transparent resource allocation
- Renewable Energy Push: Increased demand for copper due to incentives for electric vehicles and solar energy
- Make in India: Encourages investment in the copper industry to strengthen domestic manufacturing
Source: IE
Previous Year Question
With reference to India, consider the following statements:
1. Monazite is a source of rare earths.
2. Monazite contains thorium.
3. Monazite occurs naturally in the entire Indian coastal sands in India.
4. In India, Government bodies only can process or export monazite.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
[UPSC Civil Service Exam – 2022 Prelims]
(a) 1, 2 and 3 only
(b) 1, 2 and 4 only
(c) 3 and 4 only
(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
Answer: (b)
