Minimalist IAS
Geography

Prelims · Geography · 46 questions

Minerals, energy & industry

Every UPSC Prelims question on this topic, 2016–2026, newest first. Tap an option to check yourself; the answer and explanation open below it.

Minerals, energy & industry questions per year: 2016: 4, 2017: 0, 2018: 2, 2019: 1, 2020: 3, 2021: 0, 2022: 3, 2023: 6, 2024: 2, 2025: 6, 2026: 1 Asked in 9 of 11 years · most in 2025 (6)

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UPSC syllabus: “Indian and World Geography-Physical, Social, Economic Geography of India and the World.” Sub-topics in the detailed syllabus →

भट्टी तेल (फर्नेस ऑयल) के संदर्भ में, निम्नलिखित कथनों पर विचार कीजिए :

  1. 1.यह तेल परिष्करणियों (रिफाइनरी) का एक उत्पाद है।
  2. 2.कुछ उद्योग इसका उपयोग ऊर्जा (पावर) उत्पादन के लिए करते हैं।
  3. 3.इसके उपयोग से पर्यावरण में गंधक का उत्सर्जन होता है।

उपर्युक्त कथनों में से कौन-से सही हैं?

Read this question in English

With reference to furnace oil, consider the following statements:

1. It is a product of oil refineries.

2. Some industries use it to generate power.

3. Its use causes sulphur emissions into environment.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

(a) 1 and 2 only · (b) 2 and 3 only · (c) 1 and 3 only · (d) 1, 2 and 3

उत्तर और व्याख्या · explanation in English

Answer: (d) 1, 2 और 3

Furnace oil is a heavy residual fuel left after the lighter fractions are distilled from crude oil in a refinery. Industries burn it in boilers, furnaces and captive power plants, and because it is rich in sulphur, burning it releases sulphur dioxide. All three statements hold.

  • ✓ 1. It is the heavy residue that remains after refineries distil off the lighter products, which is why it is also called residual fuel oil.
  • ✓ 2. Heavy fuel oil is used to produce electric power and for many industrial heating purposes, including captive generation.
  • ✓ 3. Burning oil that contains sulphur emits sulphur dioxide, and furnace oil is among the higher-sulphur fuels, so its use adds SO2 to the air.

Remember · Furnace oil = heavy residual refinery product; burnt in industrial boilers and power units; high sulphur, so a source of SO2.

Sources

Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper I (2021, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). Permalink ·

The Syllabus X-Ray of this topic

2 of its 7 sub-topics are Core

2 Core · 2 High · 3 Steady · 0 Rare

  • Core #18Minerals, critical minerals & mining law · 10 questions
  • Core #40Renewable energy & storage · 7 questions
  • HighCoal, oil & gas · 5 questions
  • HighIndustry, ports & industrial by-products · 3 questions

The X-Ray ranks all 928 sub-topics of the UPSC syllabus by what UPSC has asked since 2016. The 60 Prelims Core sub-topics are behind 51% of Prelims questions.

See the whole X-Ray →

The same topic in Mains