Coal Gasification and Coal Chemistry

* Statement I is Correct : India has domestic uranium reserves, but they are not enough to meet the country's nuclear power generation needs. Additionally, some nuclear reactors in India use imported uranium. Coal remains the dominant source of electricity production in India, although its share is gradually decreasing.  * The major uranium deposits of the country occur in geological basins of the Singhbhum shear zone (Jharkhand), Cuddapah basin (Andhra Pradesh and Telangana), Mahadek basin (Meghalaya), Delhi Supergroup of rocks (Rajasthan) and Bhima basin (Karnataka). * Statement II is Incorrect : Nuclear power plants can utilise uranium enriched to varying degrees. India primarily uses Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors (PHWRs) that can function efficiently with low-enriched uranium (around 2-5% enrichment).

Statement 1 is Correct: In December 2025, the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) notified India's first dedicated national standard for bomb disposal systems, officially designated as IS 19445:2025. Statement 2 is Correct: The standard establishes comprehensive guidelines for evaluating bomb disposal equipment (such as bomb blankets, baskets, and inhibitors) against blast loads and splinter effects. A primary objective is to bring uniformity to testing and procurement, thereby improving the safety, reliability, and interoperability of equipment across various deploying agencies (e.g., Armed Forces, CAPFs, NSG, and State Police). Statement 3 is Incorrect: The standard was developed indigenously by BIS at the request of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the DRDO’s Terminal Ballistic Research Laboratory (TBRL). There is no record of collaboration with Russian entities (such as the 30th Central Scientific Research Institute). In fact, the standard was specifically created to reduce reliance on foreign norms, as existing international standards were either restricted in access or misaligned with the specific threat profiles and operational realities faced by Indian forces. Therefore, the correct option is C.

In lithium-ion batteries, the cathode is typically made of materials that include Cobalt, Lithium, and Nickel, depending on the chemistry used. * ✅I. Cobalt: Used in cathodes like LCO and NMC. * ❌ II. Graphite: Used in the anode, not the cathode. * ✅III. Lithium: Core element in cathode materials (like LCO, LFP). * ✅IV. Nickel: Found in cathode types like NMC and NCA. Three of the four are used in cathodes. Alternatively, you can use mnemonic CoLiNi to remember Cathode forming materials.

Statement 1 is Incorrect: The Deep Ocean Mission (DOM) is a flagship initiative launched and implemented by the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), Government of India, not the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways. Statement 2 is Correct: Matsya-6000 is an indigenous manned submersible vehicle developed by the National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT). It is specifically designed to carry 3 people (aquanauts) in a titanium alloy sphere to a depth of 6,000 meters for deep-sea exploration, including the study of marine biodiversity and the mining of rare minerals like polymetallic nodules. Statement 3 is Correct: Samudrayaan is India's first manned deep-sea ocean mission and is a primary sub-project under the broader Deep Ocean Mission. Therefore, option B is the correct answer.

Monazite is a brown crystalline mineral consisting of cerium, lanthanum, other rare earth elements, and thorium. Monazite usually occurs in small, isolated crystals or grains that are resistant to weathering and become concentrated in soils. Statements 1 and 2 are correct. Monazite is a major source of rare earths and thorium. It yields several rare-earth elements, such as neodymium and praseodymium. Both of these are in demand internationally for making high-performance rare-earth magnets (components of power wind turbines, electric vehicles and robotics) Statement 3 is incorrect. Though monazite is found in most coastal areas of India. It is questionable to be found along the entire coast. The main mines are found along the coasts of southern India in Kerala, Tamil Nadu and in Orissa. Statement 4 is correct. Export of monazite without a license from AERB is a violation of the Atomic Energy (Radiation Protection) Rules 2004. Indian Rare Earths Limited (IREL), a wholly owned Public Sector Undertaking of the Government of India (GOI) under DAE, is the only entity that has been permitted to produce and process monazite and handle it for domestic use as well as for export.