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Describe any three characteristics of ‘Odisha Jharkhand belt’ of Iron Ore in India

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Odisha- Jharkhand belt of iron ore, situated in India has many unique characteristics. In Odisha, high-grade hematite ore is found, in the Badampahar mines situated in Mayurbhanj and Kendujhar districts. In Jharkhand, hematite iron ore is mined in Gua and Noamandi in the Singhbum district of Jharkhand.

Ore can be defined as a naturally occurring rock with large quantities of valuable minerals present in it. It is referred to as ore if the minerals can be extracted from it economically. Ores can be extracted from the earth through mining and undergo multiple treatments to extract metals from it. Iron ore is a rock with deposits of metallic iron and it can be extracted economically. Iron is not found in its natural form and is mostly found as oxides. 

The color of iron ore differs with the composition of the rock, it can be dark grey, yellow, or even rusted red. Iron ore can be mostly found in the form of magnetite, hematite, goethite, Siderite, and limonite. Among all these, iron ores hematite and magnetite are used for the extraction of iron because the iron content is maximum in these ores and can be extracted economically. 

Major Iron Belts

Iron is commonly used in various processes and machinery. Iron is very useful in today’s world. Major useable iron ore reserves are found in Australia, Brazil, China, India, Russia, Ukraine, Iran, etc. The total useful and recoverable reserves of iron ore in India are around 9,602 million tons of hematite and 3,408 million tons of magnetite. The places with major iron ore reserves in India are present in Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, and Odisha. The main consumers of iron in the world are the United States, China, Japan, Korea, and the European Union. The consumption of iron ore is increasing by 10 percent annually. 

Some of the major iron ore belts in India are Odisha Jharkhand Belt, Durg Bastar Chandrapur Belt, Bellary Chitradurga Chikmagalur Tumkur Belt, and Maharashtra Goa Belt. 

According to a survey conducted by the US Geological Department in 2021, the estimated iron ore reserves in India are around 23 billion tons. The iron produced by India in 2020 is around 59 million and is increasing year by year. India is the seventh-largest iron producer in the world right now. India has a total of 13 billion tons of iron ore reserves which include 10 billion tons of hematite ore. Almost 60 percent of the ores present in India are concentrated in the eastern part, places like Orissa and Jharkhand. 

Odisha-Jharkhand Iron Ore Belt

The iron ore ranges in Jharkhand and Orissa is known to produce the best quality iron ore. A high quantity of Hematite ores is present in the badampahar mines in Mayurbhanj and Kendujhar districts. Hematite is a very commonly found iron ore and the concentration of iron in this ore is almost 70 percent. The extraction and refining of hematite ore are highly economical due to the high concentration of iron in the rock. The chemical formula of iron in this ore is Fe2O3. It appears as a black or silver-gray crystal. It is found in the form of massive ore, laminated ore, blue dust, shaly ore, etc. In these iron ore ranges, the Hematite ore is found in association with limonite and goethite. It is found in Chiria, Noamundi, Kiriburu, etc. 

The iron ore found in this region is of complex texture due to deformation, and alteration over the course of years under high pressure and temperatures. The hard ore extracted from this area is grey in color and is partly laminated. These core types are found along with laminated ores. This contains around 65 to 70 percent of carbon. Flaky-friable ores are flaky and powdery. They are of light grey or brown color. The main mineral in this type of ore is hematite. It is mostly present in the  Jamda-Koira Valley. These are the features of iron ore of  Odisha, Jharkhand belt.

Characteristics of Odisha-Jharkhand Iron Ore Belt

There are basically three important characteristics of the Odisha-Jharkhand belt, as mentioned below:

  1. High-grade haematite ore is found in Badampahar mines in Mayurbhanj and Kendujhar districts in Odisha. In the adjoining Singhbhum district of Jharkhand, haematite iron is mined in Noamundi and Gua.
  2. High-grade haematite ore is found in Kendujhar and Mayurbhanj mines, which are exported by Paradeep port.
  3. Badampahar mines in Mayurbhanj and Kendujhar districts in Odisha have high-grade haematite ore.

Related Links

  1. Major Iron Ore Belts in India
  2. Iron and Steel Industry in India

Frequently Asked Questions

Q 1. What are the features of the Odisha Jharkhand belt?

Answer-

The iron ore ranges in Jharkhand and Orissa are known to produce the best quality of iron ore. A high quantity of Hematite ores is present in the badampahar mines in Mayurbhanj and Kendujhar districts. Hematite is a very commonly found iron ore and the concentration of iron in this ore is almost 70 percent. It appears as a black or silver-gray crystal. It is found in the form of massive ore, laminated ore, blue dust, shaly ore, etc. 

Q 2. Which iron ore is found in the Odisha Jharkhand belt?

Answer-

In the Odisha Jharkhand belt high-grade hematite ore is found in the Badamphar.

Q 3. List some places with huge iron ore reserves.

Answer-

Major useable iron ore reserves are found in Australia, Brazil, China, India, Russia, Ukraine, Iran, etc. The main consumers of iron in the world are the United States, China, Japan, Korea, and the European Union. Some of the major iron ore belts in India are Odisha Jharkhand Belt, Durg Bastar Chandrapur Belt, Bellary Chitradurga Chikmagalur Tumkur belt, and Maharashtra Goa belt. 


Last Updated : 17 Jul, 2023
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