The mineral production from mining and quarring sector during September, 2004 recorded a growth of 4 per cent as compared to that of the corresponding month of previous year, but remained almost at the same level as compared to that in the preceding month. The mineral sector has shown a growth of 4.9 per cent during the first six months of the current financial year than in the same period of previous year.
The total value of mineral production (excluding atomic & minor minerals) in the country during the month was Rs.5,100 crore. The contribution of coal was the highest at Rs. 1,994 crore (39 per cent). Next in the order of importance were : petroleum (crude) Rs.1,540 crore, natural gas (utilised) Rs.735 crore, iron ore Rs.341 crore, lignite Rs. 149 crore and limestone Rs.122 crore. These six minerals together contributed about 96 per cent of the total value of mineral production in the month.
Production levels of important minerals in September 2004 were : coal 286 lakh tonnes, lignite 22 lakh tonnes, natural gas (utilized) 2,535 million cu.m., petroleum (crude) 28 lakh tonnes, bauxite 884 thousand tonnes, chromite 227 thousand tonnes, copper conc. 12 thousand tonnes, gold 300 kg., iron ore 87 lakh tonnes, lead conc. 5 thousand tonnes, manganese ore 193 thousand tonnes, zinc conc. 45 thousand tonnes, apatite & phosphorite 57 thousand tonnes, dolomite 326 thousand tonnes, limestone 122 lakh tonnes and magnesite 36 thousand tonnes.
During the month, the output of bauxite increased by 25.7 per cent, manganese ore 9.5 per cent, magnesite 9.2 per cent, coal 8.7 per cent, apatite & phosphorite 5.8 per cent and gold 0.7 per cent as compared to the preceding month. However, the output of lead conc. decreased by 23.8 per cent, zinc conc. 19.4 per cent, lignite 12.5 per cent, copper conc. 8.8 per cent, chromite 6.9 per cent, petroleum (crude) 3.8 per cent, dolomite 3 per cent, limestone 2.4 per cent, iron ore 2.1 per cent and natural gas (utilized) 2 per cent.
(Release ID :4991)