Mineral Production during January 2016 (Provisional)

The index of mineral production of mining and quarrying sector for the month of January (new Series 2004-05=100) 2016 at 138.4, was 1.2% higher as compared to January 2015. The cumulative growth for the period April- January 2015-16 over the corresponding period of previous year stands at (+) 2.1%.

The total value of mineral production (excluding atomic & minor minerals) in the country during January 2016 was Rs. 20316 crore. The contribution of Coal was the highest at Rs. 9076 crore (45%). Next in the order of importance were: Petroleum (crude) Rs. 5522 crore, Natural gas (utilized) Rs. 1970 crore, Iron ore Rs. 1841 crore, Lignite Rs.593 crore and Limestone Rs. 533 crore. These six minerals together contributed about 96% of the total value of mineral production in January 2016.

Production level of important minerals in January 2016 were: Coal 629 lakh tonnes, Lignite 43 lakh tonnes, Natural gas (utilized) 2382 million cu. m., Petroleum (crude) 30 lakh tonnes, Bauxite 1946 thousand tonnes, Chromite 313 thousand tonnes, Copper conc. 12 thousand tonnes, Gold 103 kg., Iron ore 142 lakh tonnes, Lead conc. 20 thousand tonnes, Manganese ore 194 thousand tonnes, Zinc conc. 90 thousand tonnes, Apatite & Phosphorite 71 thousand tonnes, Limestone 271 lakh tonnes, Magnesite 21 thousand tonnes and Diamond 2784 carat.

The production of important minerals showing positive growth during January 2016 over January 2015 include ‘Copper conc.’ (49%), ‘Chromite’ (27.5%), ‘Diamond’ (15.1%), ‘Iron ore’ (14.3%), ‘Lead conc. (13.8%), ‘Coal’ (9.4%), ‘Magnesite’ (7.9%), ‘Manganese ore’ (4.1%), and ‘Limestone’ (3.4%). The production of other important minerals showing negative growth are: ‘Apatite & Phosphorite’ [(-) 40.3%], ‘Zinc conc.’ [(-) 40%] ‘Gold’ [(-) 27.5%], ‘Natural gas (utilized)’ [(-) 14.9%], ‘Bauxite’ [(-) 12.5%], ‘Lignite’ [(-) 5.5%], and ‘Petroleum (crude)’ [(-) 4.6%].