Ferrous minerals which account for about three-fourths of the total value of the production of metallic minerals in India, provide a strong base for the development of the metallurgical industries in India. These industries extract and purify the metals and produce them in usable forms for their application in various other industries. Iron ore, a ferrous mineral, is the basic mineral and the backbone of industrial development. It is the key to progress in the present mechanical civilisation. Iron and steel made from iron ore and its alloys is used to make machines. Machines determine the development of industries. As the basic tools, implements and machines required in the industries are made of iron, industrial development is determined by iron. 

Following are the formations in which minerals occur.
(a) In Igneous and Metamorphic rocks minerals may occur in the cracks, crevices, faults or joints.
(b) In Sedimentary rocks a number of minerals occur in beds or layers.
(c) Another mode of formation involves the decomposition of surface rocks and the removal of soluble constituents, leaving a residual mass of weathered material containing ore, e.g. Bauxite ore.

The three impacts of mining on the health of the miners are:
(i) Problems in lungs due to the dust and fumes inhaled by the workers
(ii) Roofs collapse
(iii) Flooding and fires are a constant threat to miners.

i) Energy is needed to cook to provide light and heat, to propel vehicles and to drive machinery in industries. Energy is a basic requirement for economic development.
ii) Every sector of the national economy agriculture, industry and transport-commercial and domestic needs inputs of energy.
iii) Energy can be generated from fuel minerals like coal, petroleum, nature gas, uranium and from electricity. Conventional source like firewood and cattle dung cakes are most commonly used in rural India to generate energy.

(a)High risk involved
(b)Due to poisonous fumes, mines are vulnerable to workers for pulmonary diseases.
(c)Risk of collapsing mines roofs, and fires in coal mines.
(d)Water sources get contaminated

We need to conserve mineral resource because
(i) Minerals are non-renewable sources of energy. Minerals take million years to be formed and our consumption rate is very fast than the replenishment rate of minerals.
(ii) Minerals are needed for economic growth and industrialisation.
(iii) Minerals are unevenly distributed. Thus, to maintain equal distribution of these resources, minerals need to be conserved.

Minerals are formed in igneous and metamorphic rocks when liquid molten material and gaseous forms are forced upwards through cavities towards the Earth's surface.