Consider the following minerals : 1. Bentonite 2. Chromite 3. Kyanite 4. Sillimanite In India, which of the above' is/are officially designated as major minerals ?

Explains that regulation of mines and minerals is a legal/administrative matter (Central frames rules; states own minerals), implying ‘official designation’ would be found in government statutes or state lists.

A student could check the Mines and Minerals regulatory acts or individual state notified lists of 'major' vs 'minor' minerals to see whether bentonite appears as a major mineral.

Gives a classification/count of minerals in India (fuel, atomic, metallic, non‑metallic) and total number produced, indicating there exists an official taxonomy of mineral types.

A student could locate the official government taxonomy or list of 'non‑metallic' minerals and see if bentonite is included and how it is categorized (major/minor).

Provides concrete lists of minerals found in regional mineral belts (e.g., Southern, Western, South‑Western belts), showing that authoritative sources enumerate minerals by region.

A student could compare such authoritative regional/mineral‑belt lists or government mineral‑production tables to check for bentonite’s mention and relative importance.

States India is fairly rich in non‑metallic minerals and points to mapped geographical distributions, suggesting bentonite — a non‑metallic clay — could be part of these categories.

A student could consult non‑metallic mineral inventories or distribution maps to see whether bentonite occurrences are recorded and whether it is treated as a major mineral.

Defines a mineral as a natural substance with definite chemical/physical properties, which frames how official lists classify minerals (by distinct identity and economic use).

A student could use this definition to verify whether bentonite meets official criteria used in government lists and thus whether it could be designated 'major'.

Explicitly describes chromite (oxide of iron and chromium), its uses, reserves and major producing states (Odisha ~99%); shows chromite is a nationally significant mineral with quantified reserves.

A student could use this to infer chromite's economic importance and then check official lists (e.g., state/central 'major' vs 'minor' mineral lists) to see if high-reserve, high-production minerals are classified as 'major'.

Lists chromite among key minerals of the Chotanagpur Belt and notes the region contains 'chromite of the country' (implying concentration and importance).

One could combine this with knowledge of administrative practice that 'major minerals' are often those mined at larger scale/strategic belts to assess whether chromite would likely be in the official 'major' category.

Includes chromite in a regional Mineral Belt listing (Southern Belt), grouping it with other economically important minerals.

A student could use the recurring appearance of chromite across belt lists to argue it is treated as a significant mineral and then consult government definitions distinguishing 'major' (state control) vs 'minor' minerals.

States India is a producer of about 95 minerals and categorises minerals into fuel, atomic, metallic (10), non-metallic, etc.; chromite appears in metallic mineral discussions elsewhere.

Using this classification, a student can note chromite's place among metallic minerals and then check whether Indian policy typically designates metallic/strategic ores as 'major' minerals.

Explicitly describes kyanite's deposits, uses, total reserves and states India is the largest producer — showing kyanite is a significant non-metallic mineral resource in India.

A student could compare this significance (reserves/production) with official government lists of 'major minerals' to see if high-reserve/production minerals are the ones so designated.

States that the Chotanagpur belt 'contains almost 100% of kyanite reserves' and lists kyanite among minerals found in a named mineral belt — indicating kyanite is recognised in standard mineral-distribution classifications.

One could use this pattern (inclusion in formal mineral-belt lists) to check government/ministry publications or standard geological compilations for formal 'major mineral' designations.

Gives a taxonomy/count of minerals India produces (metallic, non-metallic, fuel, atomic) — provides a framework for what categories 'major minerals' might come from.

A student could map kyanite to the appropriate category (non-metallic) and then inspect official lists for which non-metallic minerals are classed as 'major'.

Describes geographic concentration of mineral wealth and lists states rich in metallic and non-metallic minerals — situating where a mineral like kyanite is likely to be treated as important regionally.

Using this, a student could check state-level mineral notifications (since 'major/minor' minerals are sometimes defined at central vs state level) for states named as kyanite-bearing.

Provides a general definition of a mineral and stresses economic importance and association with rock types — outlining criteria (economic use, reserves, rock-association) by which a mineral's importance may be judged.

A student could apply these criteria (economic use, reserve size) to kyanite data (from snippet 1) and then consult official definitions to test if such criteria correspond to being labelled a 'major mineral'.

Gives explicit data on sillimanite reserves, uses, and the states producing it — indicating it is a significant non‑metallic mineral in India.

A student could compare these production/reserve figures to official lists of 'major minerals' (e.g., government/IMS data) to see whether size/importance typically corresponds to formal designation.

States India is a producer of about 95 minerals and groups them (fuel, atomic, metallic, non‑metallic, others) — showing there is a formal taxonomy of minerals.

A student can use this classification to check whether 'major minerals' are drawn from specific categories (e.g., non‑metallic) and then look for sillimanite within official category lists.

Lists minerals commonly highlighted in the major mineral belts (e.g., ilmenite, mica, china‑clay, garnet) but does not list sillimanite among those belt highlights.

A student might treat absence from belt summary lists as a clue to check official major‑mineral lists or map occurrences to see whether sillimanite is typically treated as a principal mineral in such summaries.

Notes which non‑metallic minerals are singled out as important (mica, limestone, dolomite, phosphate), with sillimanite not mentioned among these examples.

Use this pattern of which non‑metallic minerals are frequently labelled 'important' to investigate whether sillimanite is commonly classed similarly in government/educational sources.

Gives a list of states rich in metallic and non‑metallic minerals — several overlap with states producing sillimanite per snippet [1], supporting geographic significance.

Cross‑referencing states listed as mineral‑rich with official 'major mineral' production statistics could indicate whether sillimanite's regional importance translates to formal designation.