Match List I (Aluminium Company) with List II (Location): A. BALCO · B. HINDALCO · C. Indian Aluminium Company · D. NALCO — 1. Hirakud · 2. Korba · 3. Koraput · 4. Renukoot

Answer: (b) 2 4 1 3

BALCO – Korba, HINDALCO – Renukoot, Indian Aluminium Company – Hirakud, NALCO – Koraput: 2 4 1 3.

The idea

Aluminium production has separate stages: bauxite mining, alumina refining and metal smelting. A company may have these stages at different places. Match the named company with its established location for the question year, rather than assuming that its mine, refinery and smelter occupy one site.

Bauxite is mined → Refinery separates alumina → Alumina moves to a smelter → Electric current separates aluminium metal → Metal is cast into useful forms

Why the others are wrong

(d) This code puts HINDALCO at Hirakud and Indian Aluminium at Renukoot, which is the wrong way round.

The trap

NALCO–Odisha (Koraput) and BALCO–Chhattisgarh (Korba) are the anchors.

Also know

NALCO’s Damanjodi refinery is in the Koraput region, while its aluminium smelter is at Angul. Panchpatmali supplies bauxite to Damanjodi. Renukoot is in Uttar Pradesh, Korba in Chhattisgarh and Hirakud in Odisha; State boundaries and the production stage should be remembered separately.