minerals

1. Mineral Resources of Pakistan
A Thorough Explanation
Applicable to O-Level and IGCSE
studying Pak-Studies. Students of
both Edexcel And Cambridge
streams.

2. What Industry?
 Mineral resources belong to the Primary
Industry of occupations as this sector is
tasked with obtaining raw materials
(minerals) from underneath the earth. Some
other primary industry occupations are
farming, fishing and forestry.

3. Renewable or Non-Renewable?
 Mineral Resources are Non-Renewable as
they are formed some millions of thousands
years ago and will take likewise time to form
again.

4. Types of Minerals
 Minerals are divided into two types:
 Metallic Minerals
 Non-Metallic Minerals
 These have different qualities and features
which help us to distinguish them from each
other.

5. Metallic Minerals
 They resemble metals and have
characteristics of metals e.g.
 They are shiny, hard and smooth.
 They are good conductors of electricity
 They can be molded into different shapes.

6. Non- Metalic Minerals
 They are softer and rougher.
 They break away when their shape is
changed.
 They cannot be stretched or compressed.
 They are poor electrical conductors.

7. Importance Of Mining Industry
 They contribute to the GDP (Gross Domestic Product) and the GNP
(Gross National Product)
 They provide raw material for different industries.
 They can be exported to foreign countries e.g. marble, rock salt.
 They earn foreign exchange for the country by their export and if they
are mined the domestic requirements are fulfilled which prevents
import thereby saving foreign exchange.
 They improve Balance of Trade and Payment.
 Reduces rural-urban migration as they are found in remote areas and
when people get jobs in mines then they do not migrate.
 It provides employment for the people.
 They attract foreign investment for exploration and exploitation.

8. Problems of The Mining Industry
 Lack of Capital, so modern machinery cannot be bought which
wastes time and decreases mineral quality.
 Lack of experts so it is difficult to explore and exploit minerals
and so foreign exchange is spent to bring these people to our
country which adversely effects the Balance of Payments and
Balance of Trade.
 Lack of Government attention/ low priority so slow
development.
 Inaccessible mineral deposits, difficult to explore.
 Lack of security, terrorism, due to this foreign investors are
reluctant to invest in these areas.

9. Solutions
 Many institutions have been set up e.g. Geological
Survey of Pakistan for investigation and mapping of
minerals.
 Give incentives to foreign and local investors in order
to attract them towards this sector e.g. tax holiday.
 Attracting multinationals to explore minerals by
offering them a share in the produce.
 Improvement in education sector for producing
skilled labor which will work in these industries.

10. Main Non-Minerals of Pakistan
 Limestone: Main raw material for cement
industry. Used to make bleaching powder,
soap, glass, paper, paints and lime, used as
flux in iron and steel industry.
 Lime is used to reduce salinity of soil.
 Limestone is painted on barks of trees to
protect them from termite attacks.
 Also used in fertilizer industry.

11. Main Non-Metallic Minerals of Pakistan
 Rock Salt: Used in cooking and making
preservatives. Used in food, tanning and
textile industries.
 Used in the processing of Sodas, Soda ash,
carbonates and bicarbonates of soda and
caustic soda.

12. Main Non-Metallic Minerals of Pakistan
 Gypsum: Used in making plastic of paris,
cement, paper, fertilizers, paints and rubber.

13. Main Non-Metallic Minerals of Pakistan
 Marble: Used in making flooring and decorative pieces.
 Clays: There are three types of clays:
 China Clay: Used in making cement.
 Fire Clay: Used in making fire resistant bricks and potter.
 Fullers Earth: Used in the steel industry.
 Brine (Mixture of rock salt and water): Used in making
fertilizers.
 Power Producing Minerals i.e. Coal, Oil and Natural Gas have
not been discussed as they constitute the topic ‘Power
Resources’.

14. Main Metallic Minerals of Pakistan
 Chromite: Used in making stainless steel,
making bridges and railway carriages.
 Bauxite: Used for the extraction of Aluminum
which is used in making cans, utensils and
tins.
 Copper: Used in making copper wires and
switches.
 Iron Ore: Used in steel making.

15. A Little More On Limestone
 Limestone is heavy and bulky.
 Is difficult to transport.
 Not of great value (cheap mineral)
 As it is expensive to transport any limestone
dependant industry should be made closer to
its deposits to save time and money.
 In this case railway is the cheapest form and
should be used for its transportation.

16. Limestone Quarrying
 When limestone outcrops on surface.
 It is extracted by open excavation.
 Hand tools e.g. hammers, drills etc are
mostly used.
 Other equipment (if required) is also used
e.g. explosives, power saws etc.

17. Effects of Mining on the Environment
 It causes noise pollution.
 It causes land pollution due to deformation and
wastes of the factories, land is not leveled after
mining and due to poor waste disposal.
 Water pollution as the wastes produced in these
mines are dumped in rivers and this constitutes our
water supply.
 Air pollution due to smoke, dust etc, this also causes
some diseases such as tuberculosis and lung
cancer.

18. Protection of the Hazards produced
due to Mining
 Scientific mining for efficiency.
 Treatment of wastes to avoid its harmful effects.
 Water treatment plants to clean water for miners.
 Afforestation/ reforestation to reduce air pollution.
 Protective clothing and masks for miners.
 Sustainable development of mining to avoid wastage of minerals.
 Land must be leveled after mining is complete for its efficient use
afterwards.
 Strict implementation of environment laws to avoid air and water
pollution.
 Awareness through media and NGO’s to the local people to protect the
environment/

19. Important Locations of Minerals
 Limestone: Manghopir, Ganjotakor, Murli Hill, Potowar Plateau
 Rock Salt: Salt Range( Khewra, Warcha )
 Gypsum: Dandot, Khewra, Warcha
 Sulphur: Koh-e-Sultan
 China Clay: Shah Deri
 Marble: Mardan, Swat
 Chromite: Muslim Bagh
 Copper: Saindak
 Bauxite: Muzaffarabad
 Iron Ore: Kalabagh
 Brine: Same as rocksalt.

20. Credits and Info
 These notes are made for the ease of my fellow
students and I have left out all unnecessary details
and have presented it in a way which is easy to
learn.
 This applies for both O-Level and IGCSE students of
both Cambridge and Edexcel Streams.
 Made By: Fasih-Ur-Rehman
 Country: RawalPindi