Arid and Mountain Type

Economic Significance of Arid Soils

• Suitable Crops of Arid Soils – Phosphates and nitrates make these soil fertile wherever moisture is available.
• There is a possibility of reclaiming these soils if proper irrigation facilities are available. In large areas, only the drought resistant and salt tolerant crops such as barley, cotton, millets, maize and pulses are grown.
• The mapped minerals considered here are eight minerals (illite, kaolinite, smectite, calcite, quartz, feldspar, hematite and gypsum) distributed over clay and silt populations.
• The second major industry is mining as many different minerals deposits are scattered throughout the desert area.
• The main mining minerals include ....