Consider the following statements : 1. Most of the coal and the ferrous group of minerals in India occur in the peninsula, south of the Vindhyas 2. The peninsular India once formed part of the super-continent which included Australia, Antarctica, Africa and South America Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

The correct answer is Option 3 (Both 1 and 2) because both statements accurately describe India's geological and mineralogical profile.

• Statement 1 is correct: The Indian Peninsula, particularly the region south of the Vindhyas and the Chota Nagpur plateau, is the mineral heartland of India. It contains over 97% of India's coal reserves (Gondwana coal) found in the Damodar, Mahanadi, and Godavari valleys. Additionally, the ancient crystalline rocks of the Dharwar and Cuddapah systems in this region house major ferrous minerals like iron ore and manganese.
• Statement 2 is correct: Geologically, Peninsular India was an integral part of Gondwanaland, a massive supercontinent that existed until about 180 million years ago. This landmass also included present-day South America, Africa, Antarctica, and Australia before tectonic shifts caused them to drift apart.

Since both the geographical distribution of minerals and the tectonic history of the peninsula are factually accurate, Both 1 and 2 is the right choice.