AThey improve soil fertility
BThey reduce need for employment
CThey attract industries and create jobs
DThey lead to deforestation only
Answer:
C. They attract industries and create jobs
Read Explanation:
Economic Magnetism: Mineral-rich regions act as primary hubs for industrial growth. The presence of metallic and non-metallic minerals serves as a raw material base, triggering the establishment of manufacturing units and heavy industries.
Employment Generation: Industrial clusters require a massive workforce, leading to migration from rural or less developed areas. This creates dense population pockets around mining and industrial belts, such as the Chota Nagpur Plateau in India, known for its rich coal and iron ore deposits.
Infrastructure Development: To support industrial activities, governments and private entities invest in transport networks, power plants, and communication facilities. This enhanced infrastructure attracts further commercial activities, leading to urbanization.
Ancillary Services: Beyond direct mining employment, the concentration of people supports a secondary economy, including housing, retail, healthcare, and education sectors, further increasing the population density in these regions.
Historical Context: Many major global and domestic cities originated as small settlements near resource extraction sites (e.g., Jamshedpur and Dhanbad), eventually evolving into major administrative and population centers due to sustained industrial activity.