Question

Enumerate two natural factors that have led to the location of the steel plant at Rourkela.

Answer 1

Two natural factors that have led to the location of the Rourkela Steel Plant are:

• Availability of iron ore: The plant uses iron ore obtained from the Sundergarh and Keonjhar districts, with iron ore sources located within a distance of 77 km from the plant site.
• Availability of coal: Coal is obtained from the Jharia coalfields (225 km away) and Talcher coalfields (169 km away), which are essential for steel production.

Additionally, hydro-electric power is available from the Hirakud Power Project located 150 km away, which is also a natural factor facilitating the plant’s operations.