Bihar government has decided to sign an MoU with Geological Survey of India for conducting remote sensing and aerial survey of the southern part of the state to prove the presence of magnetite-bearing rocks as well as ultramafic rocks which usually host Chromite (Cr), Nickel (Ni), Platinum Group of Elements (PGE) and ABOUT MAGNETITE Magnetite is an oxide of iron. It is the most magnetic of all the naturally occurring minerals on earth. It is a natural magnet. Magnetite contains about 72% metallic iron. Magnetite is a black, opaque, magnetic mineral that leaves a black streak when rubbed across a....Read More

Iran and Afghanistan are locked in a long-standing dispute over water sharing from the Helmand River. About Helmand River The Helmand is Afghanistan's longest river. It originates near Kabul in the western Hindu Kush mountain range and flows in a southwesterly direction through desert areas for a total of about 1,150 kilometers before emptying into Lake Hamun, which straddles the Afghanistan-Iran border. Lake Hamun is the largest freshwater lake in Iran. It used to be one of the world's largest wetlands fed by Helmand. It is separated from the watershed of the Kabul River by the Unai Pass. The Helmand....Read More

Amid ongoing clashes in Manipur, hundreds of women representing the Hmar, Kuki, Mizo, and Zomi tribes gathered at Delhi's Jantar Mantar and demanded fair and decisive action from the central government to resolve the ongoing ethnic tensions in Manipur. BACKGROUND Tribal clashes first broke out in Manipur after a 'Tribal Solidarity March' was organised in the hill districts on May 3 to protest against the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status. Demographically, Meiteis made up around 53% of Manipur's population and live mostly in the Imphal Valley. Tribals Nagas and Kukis make up around 40% of the population....Read More

Union Minister for Earth Sciences engaged virtually with scientists stationed at Bharati Station in Antarctica. About India’s research stations in- Antarctic Dakshin Gangotri, 1st permanent research station established in 1983 over Ice shelf in Central Dronning Maud Land region. (abandoned in 1990) Maitri, located in Schirmacher Oasis, was opened in 1989. Bharati, located between Thala Fjord & Quilty bay, east of Stornes Peninsula, is operational since 2012. Maitri and Bharati are currently operational. ARCTIC Himadri: India launched its first scientific expedition to the Arctic Ocean in 2007 and opened a research base named “Himadri” at the International Arctic Research Base....Read More

More than 2 lac people have been displaced due to flash flooding in Shabelle River in Somalia. The Shebelle River originates in the highlands of Ethiopia, and then flows southeast into Somalia towards Mogadishu. Major tributaries- Erer, Galetti, Wabe.Read More

Mount Etna volcano has erupted recently. It is located on the east coast of Sicily, Italy, in the Metropolitan City of Catania, between the cities of Messina and Catania. Mount Etna is the highest Mediterranean island mountain. It is the most active stratovolcano in world. It is the tallest active volcano in Europe and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It lies above the convergent plate margin between African plate and Eurasian plate. The volcano has been erupting for the past 500,000 years and is one of the most studied volcanos in the world.Read More

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has recently directed that no further mining in the Son river bed in district Sonbhadra, Uttar Pradesh is to be allowed until further action to protect the river and the animals in the area. The directive addresses illegal mining, imposing environmental compensation on mining companies. Local authorities of Sonbhadra and the UP Pollution Control Board (UPPCB) have been instructed to ensure compliance of directive. ABOUT SON RIVER The Son River, also spelled as the Sone River, is a perennial river that flows through central India. It originates near Amarkantak Hill in the Gaurela-Pendra-Marwahi district of....Read More

Often called as a significant discontinuity in the Western Ghats, the Palghat Gap is about 40 km wide, with the steep Nilgiris and Anamalai hills, both rising above 2,000 msl, on either side. The Gap is a geological shear zone that runs from east to west. Shear zones are weak regions in the earth’s crust. The origin of the Palghat Gap also stems from the drift of continental shelves after Australia and Africa broke off from the Gondwana landmass. It is a corridor for both roads and railways that connects Coimbatore with Palakkad. The Bharathappuzha river flows through it. The....Read More

The ongoing fighting in Sudan is forcing thousands to flee. The humanitarian emergency is spreading, creating a dangerous security situation in the Sahel region. About: The Sahel is the ecoclimatic and biogeographic realm of transition in Africa between the Sahara to the north and the Sudanian savanna to the south. Having a semi-arid climate, it stretches across the south-central latitudes of Northern Africa between the Atlantic Ocean and the Red Sea. The name is derived from the Arabic term for “coast, shore”; this is explained as being used in a figurative sense in reference to the southern edge of the....Read More

Lithium reserves were discovered on Revant hill in Degana in Rajasthan's Nagaur district during a survey conducted by the Geological Survey of India (GSI). It is believed that these reserves can meet 80% of the country's demand. These reserves contain significantly more lithium than 5.9 million tonnes found in J&K earlier. India has discovered first lithium reserves in igneous rocks located in Marlagalla- Allapatna region of Karnataka’s Mandya district. About Lithium Lithium, first of alkalis in periodic table, is a non-ferrous metal. It is used to make mobile-laptop, electric vehicle and other chargeable batteries. It is extracted from either brines....Read More