Asbestos: It is used in the manufacture of the fireproof safes and vaults. Asbestos is a fibrous rock, which can resist fire and acid and is a good insulator of heat and electricity.
Latest news on asbestos:
The leading producers of asbestos in the world are Canada, Southern Rhodesia, Union of South Africa, Italy and France. They produced 1040 thousand metric tons 145 thousand metric tons, 170 thousand metric tons, 55 thousand metric tons and 26.8 thousand metric tons respectively in 1985. Canada produced 1040 thousand metric tons of asbestos in 1988.
India - In India good-sized deposit of asbestos exist in Chhota Nagpur of Bihar, Orissa, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. In 1988 India's production amounted to 1500 metric tons.
Sulphur: It is widely found in igneous rocks. Sulphur is used in the manufacture of sulphuric acid consuming about 75 per cent of the total supply of sulphur. Other uses are in the manufacture of fertilizers, insecticides, pulp and paper and explosives. Sulphur may be derived from three sources
(i) native sulphur,
(ii) sulphide of metals, chiefly iron (pyrite) and
(iii) sulphide ores such as copper, zinc and silver. The first two sources contribute most of the world's output.
Pyrite sulphur is produced by U.S.A, Japan, Italy, Cyprus, Norway and Federal Republic of Germany. In the overall production of sulphur U.S.A. ranks first with more than 71 per cent of world's production of native sulphur and more than 11 per cent of other types.
World production of sulphur is about 32 million metric tons. U.S.A. produces 7.5 million metric tons and Japan 6 million metric tons. U.SA dominates the world market in the production and export of sulphur.
Gypsum: Gypsum is used in the manufacture of various plasters (the most well-known is Plaster of Paris) and cement. The crushed gypsum is also used for agricultural purposes in order to correct the acidity of some soils.
U.S.A is the largest producer of gypsum in the world. She produces about 32 per cent of world's total output. Michigan and New York are the two important states of U.S.A. engaged in the production of gypsum. New Brunswick and Nova Scotia are the producing areas in Canada. Canada raises 14 per cent, U.K. 10 per cent, France 9 per cent and Spain 7 per cent of World's output of gypsum. The average World production is 24 million metric tons.
Salt: It is one of the important raw materials of the chemical industry and played an important role at the beginning of the chemical industry. Besides, it enters directly into the diet of the people all over the world.
The largest quantities of salt occur in seawater, in salt lakes and in the cavities of rocks. The salt obtained from the solid beds of rocks is termed rock salt, which is generally used by the chemical industry and is the common commercial salt. There are two major sources of salt
(i) ocean and
(ii) rock.
The annual production of salt in the world is about 60 million metric tons. Nearly 40 per cent of it is consumed by industries.
U.S.A. - The U.S.A is the largest producer of salt in the world. The states leading in the production of salt are Michigan, New York, Ohio, Louisiana, Texas, Kansas and California producing 26 percent, 17 percent, 16 percent, 14 percent, 12 per cent, 5 per cent, and 6 percent, respectively of U.S. production of salt. U.S.A produced 26 million metric tons of salt in 1985.
India - In India salt is obtained from seawater, lake and subsoil water and beds of rock salt. About 60 per cent of Indian total production is obtained by evaporating seawater. Total production of salt from all sources in India amounted to 4 million metric tons in 1988.
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