Mineral Resources in Ranchi
Jharkhand is a land of abundance as far as natural resources are concerned. It is rich in both renewable and non-renewable resources of energy. Ranchi is a city of waterfalls with a long list of scintillating and silvery waterfalls to mesmerize anyone. Subarnarekha river, Panchgagh falls, Sita falls, lodh falls,huge coal reserves and nuclear minerals etc. all make up for abundant natural resources.
The government has encouraged Captive Power generation by developing mini, micro hydro power stations, mega thermal power stations and non-conventional energy. This way , the power generation capacity will increase for betterment of the entire state. The minerals serve as raw materials for various industries in different districts of Jharkhand, including Ranchi.
Iron ore, coal, mica(Jharkhand is leading producer of mica in India), copper ore, bauxite, graphite, fire clay, kyanite, sillimanite, uranium, lime stone are found in Jharkhand. In all, there are around 22 lime stone mines in the state. They have a total reserve of 563 million tonnes in Hazaribagh, Palamu, Ranchi and Singhbhum districts.
Fire clay deposits are found in Dhanbad, Giridih, Hazaribagh, Ranchi and Palamu districts. There is 47 million tonnes of fire clay deposits in Jharkhand state.Quartz and Silica are found in Ranchi, Palamu, Deoghar, Giridih, Dumka, Dhanbad, Koderma and Hazaribagh districts. Tata established the first Iron and Steel manufacturing industry in the year 1904.
Eminent Geo scientists who worked in this region around 1844 to 1868 were H.W.Voysey, Lieutenant Tickells, Colonel J.C. Haudhton, Emil Stoeher and V.Ball.Shri P.N.Bose is given credit for the discovery of Gorumahisani iron ore deposit which led to establishment of TISCO (first Iron ore Company) in 1904.Geological mapping of Singhbhum and surrounding areas was completed by Dunn and Day,J.A.Dunn and H.C. Joves. Holmes,Sarkar and Saha are also remembered for their geological work in this area.
The state is the sole producer of Coaking coal and Uranium. Minerals that are available in plenty are : China clay, fire clay, magnetite, Graphite, Kyanite, Copper, Bauxite, Feldspar, Mica, decorative stones. Other minerals found in the region are Andalusite, Apatite, Asbestos, Bentonite, Baryte, Dolomite, Fire clay, Chromite, Felspar, Kyanite, Magnetite, Noble metals(gold and silver), Pyrite, Ochre, Quartz, Quartzite, Steatite(soap stone), Uranium(atomic mineral) and many types of gem stones.
Minerals and their use in Industries:
| Minerals | Uses |
| Coal | Used in Thermal Power generation, domestic fuel, furnace heating, generation of combustible gases and metallurgical fuel. |
| Bauxite | Used in Alumina, cement and steel industries. |
| Lime stone | Used in cement, Iron and steel, chemical, sugar and textile industries. |
| Graphite | Used as graphite crucible and carbon electrodes. |
| China clay | Used in manufacturing porcelain and china porcelain fittings; fillers in paper, rubber and paint industries. |
| Dolomite | Used as building materials in steel making, as refractory, as soil conditioner and hardening agent for rubber. |
| Quartz | Used as refractory, ceramic, foundry, Iron and steel, abrasive, paints and cement industries. |
| Fire clay | Used as refractory bricks, ceramics and potteries. |
| Mica | Used as heat and electrical insulators. |
| Nobel metals | Used as ornaments, used for making medicine, delicate and sophisticated instruments, plating and making zari. |
Industries in Ranchi:
- Chota Nagpur Rope Works Pvt. Ltd., Namkum.
- Usha Martin, Ranchi.
- Central Coalfields Ltd.,Ranchi.
- Bharat Coking Coal Ltd.,Ranchi
- Eastern Coalfields, Ranchi.
- Central Mine Planning and Designing institute Ltd.(CMPDI),Ranchi.
- Metallurgical and Engineering Consultancy (MECON),Ranchi.
- Pragati Chemicals, Namkum.
- Heavy Engineering Corporation, Dhurwa.
- Bharat Mineral and Ceramic Industries, Mahitong.
- Waxpol Industries Limited, Tatisilway.