Question
“There is an urgent need to conserve our mineral resources.” Explain the values needed to achieve this goal.
Solution
The values needed to achieve this goal:
(i) In case of metallic minerals, use of scrap metals will enable recycling of metals. Use of scrap is specially significant in metals like copper, lead and zinc in which India’s reserves are meagre.
(ii) Use of substitutes for scarce metals may also reduce their consumption.
(iii) Export of strategic and scarce minerals must be reduced, so that the existing reserve may be used for a longer period.
