The North-Western Region

This belt runs along the Aravalli range in Rajasthan and extends into parts of Gujarat. The minerals found here are associated with the Dharwar system of rocks, one of the oldest rock formations in India.

Copper and zinc have historically been the major metallic minerals of this region. Rajasthan is especially well known for its building stones — sandstone, granite, and marble are all found in abundance. The state also has extensive deposits of gypsum and Fuller’s earth. Dolomite and limestone are present in large quantities and provide the raw materials for the cement industry.

Gujarat’s main contribution to this belt is its petroleum deposits. Both Gujarat and Rajasthan have rich sources of salt. (This is why Mahatma Gandhi chose to march to Dandi in Gujarat to break the salt law — the Dandi March was a key event in India’s freedom struggle.)

The Himalayan belt forms another mineral zone within this north-western region. Here, copper, lead, zinc, cobalt, and tungsten are known to occur, and they are found on both the eastern and western parts of the Himalayas. …