| Mineral | Major Uses | Important Points |
|---|---|---|
| Lithium | EV batteries, energy storage, electronics | Battery revolution mineral |
| Cobalt | EV batteries, aerospace alloys | DR Congo dominant producer |
| Nickel | Batteries, stainless steel | Indonesia dominates production |
| Graphite | Battery anodes, lubricants, fuel cells | Essential for Li-ion batteries |
| Neodymium | Permanent magnets, EV motors | Wind turbines & defence |
| Dysprosium | High-temperature magnets | Nuclear & defence uses |
| Yttrium | Lasers, reactor components | Medical & communication systems |
| Lanthanum | Rechargeable batteries | REE category |
| Vanadium | Steel alloys, VRFB batteries | Grid-scale energy storage |
| Tantalum | Capacitors, semiconductors | Electronics industry |
| Niobium | Superalloys, aerospace | High-strength applications |
| Copper | Electrical wiring, infrastructure | Clean energy transition |
| Uranium | Nuclear reactors | Strategic energy mineral |
| Titanium | Aerospace, defence | High strength & corrosion resistance |
| Manganese | Batteries, alloys | Industrial & energy use |
| Chromium | Stainless steel | Ophiolite association |
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Total Elements | 17 Lanthanides + Scandium + Yttrium |
| Nature | Chemically similar metallic elements |
| Important Feature | Magnetic & electrical properties |
| Major Uses | EVs, wind turbines, semiconductors, defence |
| Processing Dominance | China dominates |
| Important REEs | Neodymium, Dysprosium, Yttrium, Lanthanum |
| Mineral | 1st | 2nd | 3rd |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iron Ore | Australia | Brazil | China |
| Copper | Chile | DR Congo | Peru |
| Gold | China | Australia | Russia |
| Lithium | Australia | Chile | China |
| Nickel | Indonesia | Philippines | Russia |
| Cobalt | DR Congo | Indonesia | Russia |
| Graphite | China | Mozambique | Madagascar |
| Uranium | Kazakhstan | Canada | Namibia |
| Platinum | South Africa | Russia | Zimbabwe |
| Potash | Canada | Russia | Belarus |
| Diamonds | Russia | Botswana | Canada |
| Coal | China | India | Indonesia |
| Region | Country | Mineral |
|---|---|---|
| Pilbara | Australia | Iron ore, lithium |
| Carajás | Brazil | Iron ore |
| Atacama | Chile | Copper, lithium |
| Katanga Belt | DR Congo | Cobalt, copper |
| Sulawesi | Indonesia | Nickel |
| Bayan Obo | China | Rare Earth Elements |
| Athabasca Basin | Canada | Uranium |
| Chu-Sarysu Basin | Kazakhstan | Uranium |
| Bushveld Complex | South Africa | Platinum Group Metals |
| Great Dyke | Zimbabwe | Platinum |
| Yakutia | Russia | Diamonds |
| Saskatchewan | Canada | Potash |
| Kalgoorlie | Australia | Gold, REE refinery |
| Eneabba | Australia | Rare Earths |
| Fen Complex | Norway | Rare Earths |
| Oyu Tolgoi | Mongolia | Copper |
| Simandou | Guinea | Iron ore |
| Area | State | Mineral |
|---|---|---|
| Amrapur Block | Karnataka | Gold |
| Amareshwara | Karnataka | Lithium |
| Lodoso Region | Arunachal Pradesh | REEs |
| Jashora Alkaline Complex | Assam | REEs |
| Sung Valley | Meghalaya | REEs, Bauxite |
| Mollen-Washello | Nagaland | Nickel, Cobalt |
| Ukhrul District | Manipur | Chromite |
| West Khasi Hills | Meghalaya | Bauxite |
| Subansiri Basin | Assam | Placer Gold |
| State | Important Minerals |
|---|---|
| Arunachal Pradesh | Graphite, Vanadium, REEs |
| Assam | REEs, Silica Sand, Iron Ore |
| Meghalaya | Bauxite, REEs |
| Nagaland | Nickel, Cobalt |
| Manipur | Chromite |
| Sikkim | Copper, Graphite |
| Tripura | Hydrocarbons |
| Mizoram | Hydrocarbons, Clay |
| Resource | Importance |
|---|---|
| Lithium | EV batteries |
| Graphite | Battery anodes |
| Neodymium | Permanent magnets |
| Dysprosium | Defence & nuclear |
| Oil & Gas | Energy security |
| Kimberlite Pipes | Diamond-bearing |
| Jameson Land Basin | Hydrocarbon basin |
| Geological Process | Resource Formed |
|---|---|
| Mountain Building | Gold, graphite |
| Rifting | Oil & gas |
| Volcanic Activity | REEs |
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Important Minerals | Cobalt, Nickel, Copper, Manganese |
| India’s Mission | Deep Ocean Mission |
| Deep-Sea Vehicle | Matsya 6000 |
| Major Institution | NIOT |
| Regulator | ISA |
| ISA HQ | Kingston, Jamaica |
| Area | Mineral |
|---|---|
| Carlsberg Ridge | Polymetallic sulphides |
| Afanasy-Nikitin Seamount | Cobalt-rich crusts |
| Central Indian Ocean Basin | Polymetallic nodules |
| Feature | Nodules | Sulphides |
|---|---|---|
| Location | Seabed plains | Hydrothermal vents |
| Major Minerals | Mn, Co, Ni, Cu | Cu, Zn, Gold, Silver |
| Shape | Potato-like nodules | Vent deposits |
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Ophiolite | Oceanic crust exposed on land |
| Kimberlite Pipe | Volcanic pipe containing diamonds |
| Rifting | Splitting/stretching of crust |
| Orogeny | Mountain building |
| Lithium Brine | Lithium-rich saline water |
| Hydrothermal Vent | Hot mineral-rich vent on seabed |
| Sector | Chinese Control |
|---|---|
| Dysprosium Refining | ~100% |
| Natural Graphite Refining | ~100% |
| Cobalt Refining | ~70% |
| Lithium Refining | ~60–70% |
| Rare Earth Processing | ~90–95% |
| Organisation | HQ | Function |
|---|---|---|
| GSI | Kolkata | Geological mapping |
| ISA | Kingston | Seabed regulation |
| NIOT | Chennai | Ocean technology |
| IRENA | Abu Dhabi | Renewable energy |
| IEA | Paris | Energy analysis |
| USGS | Virginia | Geological surveys |
| GEUS | Copenhagen | Greenland geology |
| Country/Region | Strategic Importance |
|---|---|
| Greenland | REEs + Arctic geopolitics |
| Ukraine | Graphite, lithium, titanium |
| Australia | Lithium powerhouse |
| Chile | Copper & lithium |
| Indonesia | Nickel dominance |
| DR Congo | Cobalt dominance |
| China | Processing dominance |
| Issue | Impact |
|---|---|
| Deforestation | Habitat loss |
| Deep-sea mining | Marine ecosystem damage |
| Rare earth mining | Toxic waste |
| Lithium extraction | Water stress |
| Open-cast mining | Land degradation |
| Topic | Fact |
|---|---|
| Largest Nickel Producer | Indonesia |
| Largest Uranium Producer | Kazakhstan |
| Largest Cobalt Producer | DR Congo |
| Largest REE Producer | China |
| Lithium Triangle | Chile–Argentina–Bolivia |
| Bushveld Complex | Platinum |
| Athabasca Basin | Uranium |
| Katanga Belt | Cobalt |
| Sulawesi | Nickel |
| Bayan Obo | Rare Earths |
| Pilbara | Iron ore |
| Simandou | Iron ore |
| Oyu Tolgoi | Copper |
| Graphite use | Battery anode |
| Neodymium use | Permanent magnets |
| VRFB | Vanadium Redox Flow Battery |