Q. Consider the following pairs :
- Botswana : Diamond
- Chile : Lithium
- Indonesia : Nickel
In how many of the above rows is the given information correctly matched? (UPSC Prelims 2025)
Answer:
All the three
Notes: The correct answer is
[C] All the three. These pairs represent countries that are leading global producers of specific mineral resources essential for international trade and technology.
- Botswana : Diamond (Correct): Botswana is one of the world's largest producers of diamonds by value. The mining sector, dominated by the Debswana partnership (between the government and De Beers), is the backbone of its economy.
- Chile : Lithium (Correct): Chile holds the world's largest known lithium reserves and is a top global producer. It forms part of the "Lithium Triangle" in South America. The metal is extracted primarily from the Atacama salt flats and is crucial for EV batteries.
- Indonesia : Nickel (Correct): Indonesia is the world’s largest producer of nickel, holding significant reserves of laterite ore. It has recently implemented export bans on raw ore to encourage domestic smelting and position itself as a hub for the global electric vehicle supply chain.
All three countries are strategically significant in the global supply chain for these specific commodities, making all three pairs correctly matched.