NCERT Solutions Class 10 Social Science Contemporary India Chapter 5 Minerals and Energy Resources

Minerals and Energy Resources explains how minerals occur, where major resources are found and why conservation matters.
These NCERT Solutions help students answer Chapter 5 questions on ores, coal, energy sources, solar power and minerals.

Chapter 5 Minerals and Energy Resources first explains why minerals are used in buildings, transport, machinery, toothpaste, food and energy systems. It then shows how minerals occur in veins, lodes, beds, layers, residual masses, placer deposits and ocean waters. NCERT Solutions Class 10 Social Science Contemporary India Chapter 5 cover all textbook exercise questions in order. Students revise iron ore belts, manganese, copper, bauxite, mica, limestone, coal, petroleum, natural gas, electricity, nuclear energy, solar power and conservation for 2026-27 CBSE exams.

Key Takeaways

• Minerals: They are naturally occurring substances with a definable internal structure.
• Iron ore: Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka and Jharkhand produced 97% of India’s iron ore in 2018-19.
• Energy resources: Coal, petroleum, natural gas, electricity, solar and wind support economic development.
• Conservation: Minerals are finite, non-renewable and need planned sustainable use.

NCERT Solutions Class 10 Social Science Contemporary India Chapter 5 Structure 2026-27

NCERT Solutions for Class 10 Geography Chapter 5 Minerals and Energy Resources Exercise

The NCERT exercise has questions on mineral occurrence, energy sources and conservation. These NCERT Solutions for Class 10 Geography Chapter 5 Minerals and Energy Resources follow the 2026-27 textbook order.

Q1. Multiple Choice Questions

(i) Which mineral is formed by decomposition of rocks, leaving a residual mass of weathered material?

Options:
(a) Coal
(b) Bauxite
(c) Gold
(d) Zinc

Answer: The correct answer is (b) Bauxite.

Bauxite is formed by decomposition of surface rocks. Soluble materials are removed, leaving a residual mass rich in aluminium ore.

(ii) Koderma in Jharkhand is the leading producer of which mineral?

Options:
(a) Bauxite
(b) Mica
(c) Iron ore
(d) Copper

Answer: The correct answer is (b) Mica.

The Koderma-Gaya-Hazaribagh belt in Jharkhand is an important mica-producing region.

(iii) Minerals are deposited and accumulated in the strata of which rocks?

Options:
(a) Sedimentary rocks
(b) Metamorphic rocks
(c) Igneous rocks
(d) None of the above

Answer: The correct answer is (a) Sedimentary rocks.

Coal and some forms of iron ore occur in beds or layers of sedimentary rocks.

(iv) Which mineral is contained in the Monazite sands?

Options:
(a) Oil
(b) Uranium
(c) Thorium
(d) Coal

Answer: The correct answer is (c) Thorium.

Monazite sands of Kerala are rich in thorium, which is used for nuclear energy.

Minerals and Energy Resources Class 10 Questions and Answers in 30 Words

Class 10 Geography Chapter 5 Minerals and Energy Resources uses short answers to test definitions, comparisons and conservation. These answers keep the textbook’s core terms clear.

Q2. Distinguish between ferrous and non-ferrous minerals.

Answer: Ferrous minerals contain iron.

Examples include iron ore and manganese. Non-ferrous minerals do not contain iron. Examples include copper, bauxite, lead, zinc and gold.

Q3. Distinguish between conventional and non-conventional sources of energy.

Answer: Conventional sources have been used for a long time.

Examples include coal, petroleum, natural gas and firewood. Non-conventional sources include solar, wind, tidal, geothermal, biogas and atomic energy.

Q4. What is a mineral?

Answer: A mineral is a homogeneous, naturally occurring substance with a definable internal structure.

Minerals vary in colour, hardness, crystal form, lustre and density.

Q5. How are minerals formed in igneous and metamorphic rocks?

Answer: In igneous and metamorphic rocks, minerals occur in cracks, crevices, faults and joints.

Smaller occurrences are called veins. Larger occurrences are called lodes.

Q6. Why do we need to conserve mineral resources?

Answer: Mineral resources are finite and non-renewable.

They take millions of years to form. Rapid extraction reduces quality, increases cost and exhausts valuable reserves.

NCERT Solutions Class 10 Geography Minerals and Energy Resources Long Answers

Minerals and Energy Resources Class 10 NCERT Solutions include two long answers on coal distribution and solar energy. These answers use locations, resource types and textbook evidence.

Q7. Describe the distribution of coal in India.

Answer: Coal is the most abundantly available fossil fuel in India.

It is used for power generation, industry and domestic needs. India depends heavily on coal for commercial energy requirements.

Coal occurs in India in two main geological ages.

The first type is Gondwana coal, which is over 200 million years old. It includes major metallurgical coal deposits.

Gondwana coal is found mainly in the Damodar Valley. Jharia, Raniganj and Bokaro are important coalfields in this region.

The Damodar Valley covers parts of Jharkhand and West Bengal.

Coal deposits are also found in the Godavari, Mahanadi, Son and Wardha valleys.

The second type is tertiary coal, which is about 55 million years old.

Tertiary coal occurs in north-eastern states. These include Meghalaya, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland.

Neyveli in Tamil Nadu has important lignite reserves. Lignite is a low-grade brown coal used for electricity generation.

Coal is bulky and loses weight after use. So, heavy industries and thermal power stations are often located near coalfields.

Q8. Why does solar energy have a bright future in India?

Answer: Solar energy has a bright future in India because India is a tropical country.

It receives abundant sunlight for most parts of the year. This makes solar power suitable for rural, remote and urban areas.

Photovoltaic technology converts sunlight directly into electricity.

Solar energy can reduce dependence on coal, petroleum and natural gas.

It can also reduce the use of firewood and dung cakes in rural households.

This helps conserve forests and keeps cattle dung available as manure for agriculture.

Solar plants are being established in different parts of India.

Solar energy is renewable, cleaner and widely available.

It can support lighting, irrigation, cooking systems, milk testing equipment and small rural activities.

Rising fossil fuel prices also make solar energy more important.

So, solar energy supports energy security and environmental conservation.

Class 10 Social Science Geography Chapter 5: Key Concepts

Class 10 Social Science Geography Chapter 5 explains minerals through occurrence, distribution, extraction and conservation. These concepts help students answer MCQs, short answers and map-based questions.

Minerals

Minerals are naturally occurring substances found in the earth’s crust.

They are used in buildings, roads, machinery, vehicles, toothpaste, utensils and energy systems.

Ores

Minerals are usually found in ores.

An ore must have enough mineral concentration to make extraction commercially viable.

Veins and Lodes

Veins and lodes occur in igneous and metamorphic rocks.

Tin, copper, zinc and lead are commonly obtained from these formations.

Beds and Layers

Beds and layers occur in sedimentary rocks.

Coal, some iron ore, gypsum, potash salt and sodium salt are found this way.

Placer Deposits

Placer deposits occur in sands of valley floors and hill bases.

Gold, silver, tin and platinum may occur in these deposits.

Ferrous Minerals

Ferrous minerals contain iron.

Iron ore and manganese support metallurgical industries and industrial development.

Non-Ferrous Minerals

Non-ferrous minerals do not contain iron.

Copper and bauxite are important examples used in electrical, engineering and metal industries.

Conservation of Minerals

Conservation of minerals class 10 focuses on planned and sustainable use.

Recycling metals, using scrap and developing substitutes help conserve mineral resources.

Minerals and Energy Resources Class 10: Chapter Examples

Minerals and Energy Resources Class 10 questions and answers often need exact examples. This table helps students connect resources with locations and uses.

Iron Ore Belts

India has four major iron ore belts.

These are Odisha-Jharkhand, Durg-Bastar-Chandrapur, Ballari-Chitradurga-Chikkamagaluru-Tumakuru and Maharashtra-Goa.

Manganese

Manganese is used in steel and ferro-manganese alloy.

Nearly 10 kg of manganese is required to manufacture one tonne of steel.

Copper

India is critically deficient in copper reserves and production.

Copper is used in electrical cables, electronics and chemical industries.

Bauxite

Bauxite is the ore of aluminium.

Odisha was the largest bauxite-producing state in India in 2018-19.

Mica

Mica splits into thin sheets.

It is used in electric and electronic industries due to its insulating properties.

Limestone

Limestone is the raw material for cement.

It is also essential for smelting iron ore in blast furnaces.

Conventional Energy

Conventional energy sources include coal, petroleum, natural gas and electricity.

Firewood and cattle dung cakes are common in rural India.

Non-Conventional Energy

Conventional and non-conventional energy class 10 comparisons often include renewability.

Solar, wind, tidal, geothermal, biogas and atomic energy are non-conventional sources.

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