State PCS - JAMMU & KASHMIR (JKAS)

• 25 Nov 2025

J&K’s First Limestone Block Auction

Why in News?

Jammu & Kashmir hosted its first-ever limestone block auction on 24th November, 2025, marking a major milestone in the Union Territory’s mineral sector reforms under the MMDR Act, 2015.

Key Points

• This is the first mining block auction in Jammu & Kashmir since the introduction of mining reforms under the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 2015.
  •  The auction is being conducted under Section 11 of the Act, as amended by the MMDR Amendment Act, 2015, which introduced the auction regime. 
• Seven limestone blocks, spread across Anantnag, Rajouri, and Poonch districts, have been identified for auction. The deposits hold high-quality limestone suitable for cement, construction, and allied industries.
• These blocks cover around 314 hectares and fall under UNFC G3 and G4 exploration categories. UNFC – United Nations Framework Classification categorises mineral resources by geological confidence:
  • G1 – Detailed Exploration: Highest confidence; drilling and testing clearly establish the size, grade, and exact characteristics of the mineral deposit.
  • G2 – General Exploration: Moderate confidence; geological studies and limited drilling indicate the deposit’s continuity and economic potential.
  • G3 – Prospecting: Early-stage confidence; preliminary surveys suggest the presence of minerals but without firm data on quantity or quality.
  • G4 – Reconnaissance: Lowest confidence; broad regional studies only indicate possible mineralisation, requiring further detailed exploration.\

Limestone

• Limestone is a sedimentary rock rich in calcium carbonate (CaCO₃), widely used in cement, steel, construction, chemicals, and environmental applications. 
• India has major reserves in Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, and J&K, making it vital for mineral-based industrial corridors.
• It forms the backbone of the cement industry, where it is processed into clinker, the base material for all major cement types. 
• In the steel sector, limestone acts as a flux in blast furnaces, helping remove impurities and improving molten metal quality.

Hayli Gubbi Volcano

Why in News?

The Hayli Gubbi volcano in Ethiopia has erupted explosively, sending high-altitude ash plumes thousands of metres up, some of which have drifted into Indian airspace, triggering aviation advisories. 

Key Points

• Hayli Gubbi volcano is located in Afar, northeastern Ethiopia, within the Danakil Depression - one of the hottest and lowest places on Earth.
• The current eruption is significant because the volcano is believed to have erupted after nearly 12,000 years, based on geological evidence from the Afar Rift.
• The Hayli Gubbi eruption highlights the geological volatility of the East African Rift System (EARS) where active volcanism, fissure eruptions, and spreading ridges are common.
  • It is one of the world’s most tectonically active rift systems where the Arabian, Nubian, and Somali plates are diverging.
• The region is characterised by basaltic lava, fissure systems, and frequent seismic activity linked to the continental rifting process.

Volcanic Ash & Aviation Risks

• Volcanic ash is made of tiny, abrasive particles of rock and glass that can melt inside jet engines and cause serious damage.
• Jet engines can stall when ash melts and re-solidifies on turbine blades.