SOIL AND MINERALS

In the regions of Jammu and Kashmir the soils are loamy and there is little clay content in them.
Poor in lime, but with a high content of magnesia. The soil is treated with chemical fertilizers
and enriched with green manure and legume before cultivation. There is sufficient organic
matter and nitrogen content in the alluvium of the Kashmir valley as a result of plant residue,
crops stubble, natural vegetation and animal excretion.

Soils in Jammu and Kashmir

In the regions of Jammu and Kashmir, the soils are loamy and there is little clay content in them.
Poor in lime but with a high content of Magnesia, the soil is treated with chemica fertilizers and
enriched with green manure and legume before cultivation. There is sufficient organic matter
and nitrogen content in the alluvium of the Kashmir valley as a result of plant reside, crops
stubble, natural vegitatio and animal excretion.

There are three main types of soils found in the State of Jammu and Kashmir

(a) Hill Soil : These are acidic in nature and do not have much potash, phosphorous and
lime. Orchards of apples, walnut and pear thrive on these soils.

(b) Alluvial Soil : These are very productive and found in Southern plains along with the
valley bottom of Kashmir and along the Banks of Jhelum and Chenab, these are formed
by sand, silt and mud brought by rivers during floods.

(c) Karewa Soil : Found in the form of flat and low mounds. These soils exists in Kashmir
valley and Kishtwar district of the state, Pampore, Mattan, Kulgam etc.

Karewa soils are suitable for growing saffron and fruits. Kashmiri farmers have their own
nomenclature for soils Gruti (clay), Bahil (loam), Sekil (sandy), Nambaal (peats), Surzamim
(loses fertility), Lemb (nutrients deficient), Kharzain (patches of acidic soil) and Tand (found on
Mountain slopes).

Minerals and Ores

The state has limited mineral and fossil-fule resources, and much of these are concentrated in
the Jammu region. Small reserves of natural gas are found near Jammu, and bauxite and
grypsum depostis occur in the Udhampur district. Other minerals include limestone, coal, zinc
and copper. The mountains surrounding the different valleys of the state have varied mineral
wealth. The first survey of minerals wealth in the state was made by a renowed geologist, Mr
Middlemiss in 1924 in collaboration with the Government of Jammu and Kashmir, but an
intensive minerals survey was taken up in the year 1956, when systematic investigation began,
as a consequence of which mineral exploitation in the state was organised and developed.

Coal : coal found in the state is of the sem-anthracite quality and about 10 percent of the
production in the form of steam coal. Generally, the coal is of high heat value with ash content
of 20-30 % and calorific value of 6000 kcal/kg to 7800 kcal/kg. At the same time, extraction is
uneconomical due to thin seams and high cost of mining.

Coal is used in the stae in brick kilns, cement, plants, manufacture of battery covers and other
industrial units. Presently coal is extracted from Melka, Moghla dn Baryal/Kotla coal mines
falling in Rajouri and Udhampur districts.

A small quantity of coal is mined at Dandli (Jammu Province). The Kalakot coa-field has good
quality coal and a coal-based thermal power plant has been set up here.

Gypsum

The gypsum deposits occur in Buniyar in district Baramulla and in areas of Ramban and Assar in
District doda, Jammu and Kashmir Minerla Limited is actively mining gypsum from Assar
Gypsum Mine, which is situated at 30 km from Batote on NH-18 and is envisaging to exploit
huge gypsum reserves from Parianka area in Ramban. It is used in making of plaster of paris,
manufacturing of cement and gypsum boards, pharmaceutical industries, ceramic industries etc.

Borax

Fairly large deposits of borax which is used in the manufacture of paper, ceramics and glass
occur in Ladakh District. Borax deposits of the Pugga valley in Ladakh arre quite large.

Sapphire

Sapphire occurs in paddar, area in disrict. The Sapphire extracted is deep blue in colour and
known for its purity and transperency and considered to be of better quality than that of Sri
Lanka. However, the techniques used to extract it are unscientific and primitive. Though there is
potential for developing this mineral, international expertise should be used to extract it and
investments should come in strictly from the private sector.

Limestone

All the three regions of the state i.e, Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh have deposits of different
ages and grades of Limestones. The Limestone of Kashmir is of high quality and is used in the
manufacture of cement at Wuyan and Khrewa. These deposits exist in Anantnag. Achhaba, Doru,
Verinag, Biru, Sonamarg, Ajas, Wuyan, Khrewa and Loduv. It is also used as building stone and
mortar.

Copper ores Copper ores found Aishmuqam, Shubbar area (Anantnag), Lashtil hill spurs
(Baramulla), Handwara, Sumbal, Kangan and Lolab Valley in the province of Kashmir.

Iron ore : Iron ore deposits occur in Sharda (Karnah tehsil), Khrewa, Haral (Handwara), Uri tehsil,
Garex (Sopore tehsil) and Lolab valley in kashmir

Gold : Gold is found in Kargil, Ladakh and Sonamarg.

Mica : Mica deposits are found at Doda, Ramban and Reasi.

Uranium : Uranium is found is Ladakh.

Petroleum : Petroleum reserves have been found at Ramnagar, Kakra, Udh, and Surinsar.

Graphite : Graphite is used in the manufacture of lead pencils and is found in Baraipora, Uri,
Karnah, Malogam, Piran in the province of kashmir.

Sulphur : Sulphur is found in Pugga valley in Ladakh. In spring water, it is found at Anantnag
and Khrewa.