What are Mineral Resources?

These are the natural resources which cannot be renewed. They are present in the organisms as an organic and inorganic molecule and ions. The calcium, phosphorous, sodium, chlorine and sulphur are the major minerals in the animals. The minor minerals in the animals are iron, copper, cobalt, zinc, fluorine and selenium. The minerals in the plants are divided into the macro and micro nutrients. The macro nutrients consist of calcium, magnesium, sulphur and iron. The micro nutrients consist of manganese, cobalt, zinc and chlorine. The minerals are present everywhere in the world. Their distribution varies from one country to the other. They are non equal in the distribution. India is rich in coal, manganese, iron, chromites and mica. It is deficient in the gold, silver, nickel etc. In the North America there is an abundance of molybdenum but it is deficient in the tin, manganese. However these deficient metals are found in abundance in the Indonesia and Malaysia. The gold and uranium occurs in good abundance at the South Africa but it has a deficiency of silver and iron. The most common fertilizers in India are the NPK. India depends on the other countries for its supply. Our country is in deficiency of the petroleum and electrical energy. The raw material is also deficient. New projects are undertaken to explore the new opportunities of energy. If we move at the present rate most of the important metals will last only in this century. However, some of them like manganese, aluminum, cobalt, iron and chromium can work till 2500 A.D. The minerals must be conserved and should be recycled regularly. They must be used as a raw material where there is a major need. They must be explored regularly. They must be substituted and new techniques must be used to prevent its loss.