Mineral production from mining and quarrying sector grew 3.45 cent in May at Rs 8,324 crore as compared to that in the previous month, official figures released today showed.
The figures did not include atomic and minor minerals.
Production in May was higher by 5.16 per cent over the same month of last year, an official release said.
The mineral sector grew at 5.58 per cent during April-May 2007-08 as against the same period previous year.
Contribution of coal was the highest at Rs 2,981 crore (36 per cent). This was followed by iron ore at Rs 1,775 crore, petroleum (crude) Rs 1,620 crore, natural gas (utilised) Rs 864 crore, lignite Rs 257 crore and limestone Rs 206 crore.
These six minerals contributed about 93 per cent of the total value of mineral production in May 2008, it said.
Production level of coal during the month was 368 lakh tonnes, lignite 32 lakh tonnes, natural gas (utilised) 2,803 million cubic metres, petroleum (crude) 29 lakh tonnes, bauxite 21.74 lakh tonnes, chromite 4.71 lakh tonnes, copper conc 8,000 tonnes, it said.
The production of gold was 249 kg, iron ore 197 lakh tonnes, lead conc 11,000 tonnes, manganese ore 2.31 lakh tonnes, zinc conc 82,000 tonnes, apatite and phosphorite 1.34 lakh tonnes, dolomite 3.44 lakh tonnes, limestone 172 lakh tonnes and magnesite 21,000 tonnes, the release said.
There was no production of diamond in the period, it added.
