Ilmenite and rutile, abundantly available in certain coastal tracts of India, are rich sources of which one of the following? (a) Aluminium (b) Copper (c) Iron (d) Titanium

1. A. Aluminium
2. B. Copper
3. C. Iron
4. D. Titanium

Answer: D

Explanation

Ilmenite (FeTiO3) and rutile (TiO2) are the two most important titanium minerals. They are commonly found in heavy mineral sand deposits along coastal tracts, including those in India. Ilmenite is an iron-titanium oxide mineral, and rutile is a titanium dioxide mineral. Both are primary sources for the extraction of titanium metal and titanium dioxide pigment, which has various industrial applications. While ilmenite contains iron, its primary economic value and the reason for its abundance in coastal sands are its titanium content. Therefore, ilmenite and rutile are rich sources of Titanium.