Mineral output rose 9.4% in August

The index of mineral production of mining and quarrying sector for the month of August (new Series 2011-12=100) 2017 at 92.7, up by 9.4 per cent higher as compared to the level in the month of August 2016.

The cumulative growth for the period April- August 2017-18 over the corresponding period of the previous year has been up by 3.3 per cent.

The total estimated value of mineral production (excluding atomic & minor minerals) in the country during August 2017 was Rs 18,015 crore.

The contribution of coal was the highest at Rs 6,158 crore (34%). Next in the order of importance were: Petroleum (crude) Rs 5,489 crore, Natural gas (utilized) Rs 2,225 crore, iron ore Rs 1,921 crore, lignite Rs 615 crore and limestone Rs 562 crore. These six minerals together contributed about 94% of the total value of mineral production in August 2017.

The production level of important minerals in August 2017 were: coal 457 lakh tonnes, lignite 33 lakh tonnes, natural gas (utilized) 2,690 million cu.m, petroleum (crude) 30 lakh tonnes, bauxite 1,990 thousand tonnes, chromite 160 thousand tonnes, copper conc. 10 thousand tonnes, gold 113 kg, iron ore 137 lakh tonnes, lead conc. 27 thousand tonnes, manganese ore 167 thousand tonnes, zinc conc. 115 thousand tonnes, apatite & phosphorite 109 thousand tonnes, limestone 253 lakh tonnes, magnesite 12 thousand tonnes and diamond 2,906 carat.           

 The production of important minerals showing positive growth during August 2017 over August 2016 include: ‘apatite & phosphorite’ (120.1%), ‘diamond’ (47.9%), ‘lead conc.’ (41.4%), ‘bauxite’ (25.0%), ‘iron ore’ (20.6%), ‘zinc conc.’ (19.4%), ‘lignite’ (17.4%), ‘coal’ (15.7%), ‘limestone’ (10.4%), ‘manganese ore’ (9.6%) and ‘natural gas (utilized)’ (4.5%).  

The production of other important minerals showing negative growth are: ‘Magnesite’ [(-) 52.0%], ‘gold’ [(-) 28.5%], ‘copper conc.’ [(-) 15.3%] ‘chromite’ [(-) 5.8%] and ‘petroleum (crude)’ [(-) 1.6%].