Mineral Based Industry
ICSE Class 10 · Geography · Chapter 17
What this chapter covers
- Mineral-based industries
- The iron and steel industry
- Tata Steel, Jamshedpur
- Rourkela Steel Plant
- Visakhapatnam Steel Plant
- Comparing the three steel plants
- The petrochemical industry
- The electronics industry
- Comparing the three mineral-based industries
- Common mistakes to avoid
Key points
- Mineral-based industries use minerals or mineral products as their main raw material; iron and steel, petrochemicals and electronics are the three named in the syllabus.
- Iron and steel is the basic industry; it needs iron ore, coking coal, limestone, dolomite, manganese, water and power, all heavy and weight-losing, so plants are built near the mines or at ports.
- An integrated steel plant carries out every stage from raw material to finished steel; a mini steel plant uses scrap or sponge iron in an electric arc furnace.
- Tata Steel, Jamshedpur (Jharkhand): private sector, 1907, oldest working integrated plant; ore from Noamundi and Gorumahisani, coal from Jharia and West Bokaro, water from the Subarnarekha and Kharkai.
- Rourkela (Sundargarh, Odisha): public sector under SAIL, West German help, 1959, first public sector integrated plant; water from the Brahmani; flat products and large pipes.
- Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh): public sector under RINL, Soviet help, 1992, first shore-based integrated plant; ore from Bailadila, much coking coal imported.
- Petrochemicals come from petroleum and natural gas and give plastics, synthetic fibres, synthetic rubber and fertilisers; key centres include Jamnagar, Vadodara, Mumbai, Hazira, Panipat and Haldia.
- Petrochemicals save natural materials and support agriculture, health and other industries, but non-biodegradable plastic waste must be controlled.
- Electronics is a light, high-technology industry drawn to skilled labour and markets; key centres are Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Delhi NCR, Mumbai, Pune and Chennai.
- Electronics powers communication, IT, education, health, defence and space, but its e-waste needs safe recycling.
Questions answered
Define mineral-based industries and name three of them.
Mineral-based industries are manufacturing industries that use minerals, or materials obtained from minerals, as their main raw material. Examples are the iron and steel, petrochemical and electronics industries (also aluminium and cement).
Why is the iron and steel industry called a basic or key industry?
Nearly all other industries depend on it for machinery, tools, structures and transport equipment, so the growth of other industries rests on it.
What is an integrated steel plant? How does it differ from a mini steel plant?
An integrated steel plant carries out every stage of steel making in one complex, from raw materials to finished steel, using blast furnaces. A mini steel plant is smaller, makes steel from scrap or sponge iron in an electric arc furnace and needs much less capital.
Name the raw materials needed for making steel and state the role of limestone.
Iron ore, coking coal, limestone and dolomite, manganese, water and refractory materials. Limestone acts as a flux, combining with impurities to form slag that is removed.
Give two sources each of iron ore and coal for the Tata Steel plant.
Iron ore from Noamundi (Jharkhand) and Gorumahisani (Odisha); coal from Jharia and West Bokaro.
Name the rivers that supply water to (a) Tata Steel, (b) Rourkela Steel Plant.
(a) The Subarnarekha and Kharkai. (b) The Brahmani, formed by the Sankh and the Koel.
With which country's help was the Rourkela Steel Plant set up? Which company manages it today?
West Germany. It is managed by the Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL).
State two advantages of the coastal location of the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant.
Coking coal can be imported cheaply by sea, and finished steel can be exported directly from the port.
Past board exam questions
ICSE 2027 sample paper · 2 marks
(a) In which state is the Vishakhapatnam Steel Plant located? (b) Why is it called a ‘shore-based’ plant?
Show answer
(a) Andhra Pradesh.
(b) It is located on the coast at the port of Visakhapatnam, so it can import raw materials (coking coal) and export steel directly by sea.
ICSE 2027 sample paper · 3 marks
Give a geographical reason to explain each of the following: (a) Setting up petrochemical plants near oil refineries proves beneficial. (b) The electronic industry continues to shape our modern life and living. (c) The sugar industry continues to be a major industry of Uttar Pradesh.
Show answer
(a) The by-products of petroleum refining are the raw materials of the petrochemical industry, so locating near refineries ensures supply and reduces transport cost.
(b) Electronic goods – smart devices, computers, mobile phones – reduce our workload, and support communication networks, health care and entertainment.
(c) Uttar Pradesh is the largest producer of sugarcane, the chief raw material of the sugar industry, which is bulky and perishable and must be crushed soon after harvest.
ICSE 2026 sample paper · 1 mark
Which steel plant amongst the following does NOT belong to public sector?
- Bhilai
- Tata Steel
- Vishakhapatnam
- Rourkela
Show answer
Tata Steel
ICSE 2026 board paper · 2 marks
'Not all areas of India are suitable for establishing a large-scale industry.' Give two reasons for the above statement.
Show answer
1. Large-scale industries need easy access to raw materials, power, water, cheap labour and markets, which are not available everywhere.
2. Many areas (hilly, forested, desert regions) lack good transport, communication and other infrastructure, and capital, so industries cannot be set up there profitably.
ICSE 2026 board paper · 2 marks
'The contribution of the electronics industry is crucial for the progress and development of the Indian economy.' State two arguments in favour of this statement.
Show answer
1. It provides large-scale employment, especially to skilled and educated people, and earns foreign exchange through exports of electronic goods and software.
2. It modernises other sectors - communication, banking, defence, transport, health and education - by supplying computers, telecom and control equipment, raising efficiency in the whole economy.
ICSE 2026 board paper · 3 marks
(a) Name the oldest iron and steel industry of India. (b) Where is it located? (c) Name a centre from where it gets its coal supply.
Show answer
(a) Tata Iron and Steel Company (TISCO), now Tata Steel, set up in 1907.
(b) Jamshedpur, in Jharkhand, at the confluence of the Subarnarekha and Kharkai rivers.
(c) Jharia (also West Bokaro) coalfields.
ICSE 2025 board paper · 1 mark
Which industry amongst the following has revolutionised the lifestyle of the Indian masses in recent years?
- Cotton Textile
- Electronic
- Iron and Steel
- Sugar
Show answer
Electronic
ICSE 2025 board paper · 1 mark
Which of the following household products is associated with the petrochemical industry?
- Glass bottle
- Wooden chopping board
- Kitchen knife
- Plastic mug
Show answer
Plastic mug