Non-Metallic Minerals
- These minerals do not contain metal in them.
- Mica, limestone, gypsum, nitrate, potash, dolomite, coal, petroleum etc are non-metallic minerals.
Mica
- In ancient times, Mica was used in ayurvedic medicine. Mica became very popular with the development of the electrical industry.
- Abhrak is a good quality mica.
- It is translucent, easily splittable into thin sheets, flat, colourless, elastic and incompressible.
- Mica is used in the making of insulating properties, as it withstands high voltage and has a low power loss factor.
- Since it is a non-conductor of electricity, it is exclusively used in electrical goods.
- It is also used in the making of lubricants, medicines, paints and varnishes.
- The major deposits of mica are found in Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, Odisha and Jharkhand.
Lime Stone
- Limestone is associated with rocks composed of either calcium carbonate or the double carbonate of calcium and magnesium or a mixture of both.
- Limestone also contains small quantities of silica, alumina, iron oxides, phosphorous and sulphur.
- Limestone is used in the industries of chemicals for soda ash, caustic soda, bleaching powder, paper, cement, iron and steel, glass and fertilizers.
- The major producing areas: Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Meghalaya, Gujarat and Chhattisgarh
Gypsum
- Gypsum is a hydrated sulphate of calcium which occurs as white, opaque or transparent minerals in beds of sedimentary rocks such as limestone, sandstone and shale.
- Gypsum is used in the manufacture of cement, fertilizers, wallboard, plaster of par and in soil conditioning.
- Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Uttarakhand, Andhra Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh are the major producers.