MINERAL PRODUCTION UP BY 4% DURING APRIL-OCTOBER, 2003
The mineral sector
has shown a positive growth of 4% during the first seven months
of the current financial year i.e. upto October, 2003 as compared
to the same period of previous year.
The mineral production
from mining and quarrying sector registered a positive growth
of 4.8% in October, 2003 as compared to the preceding month mainly
due to higher production of coal, natural gas (utilized), petroleum
(crude), bauxite, iron ore, manganese ore and limestone. The mineral
production in October 2003 recorded a positive growth of 2.1%
as compared to that of the corresponding month of previous year.
The total value
of mineral production (excluding atomic & minor minerals)
in the country during October 2003 was Rs.4,922 crore as compared
to Rs.4,671 crore in September 2003. The contribution of coal
was the highest at Rs.1,839 crore (37%). Next in the order of
importance were: petroleum (crude) Rs.1,608 crore, natural gas
(utilized) Rs.763 crore, iron ore Rs.262 crore, lignite Rs.129
crore and limestone Rs. 128 crore. These six minerals together
contributed 96% of the total value of mineral production in October
203.
Production level
of important minerals in October 2003 were: coal 282 lakh tonnes,
lignite 19 lakh tonnes, natural gas (utilized) 2,634 million cubic
meter, petroleum (crude) 29 lakh tonnes, bauxite 752 thousand
tonnes, chromite 183 thousand tonnes, copper conc. 11 thousand
tonnes, gold 254 Kg., iron ore 85 lakh tonnes, lead conc. 5 thousand
tonnes, manganese ore 137 thousand tonnes, zinc conc. 49 thousand
tonnes, apatite & phosphorite 76 thousand tonnes, dolomite
299 thousand tonnes, limestone 129 lakh tonnes and magnesite 27
thousand tonnes.
During October
2003 the output of coal and limestone increased by 8% each, petroleum
(crude) and iron ore 6% each, natural gas (utilized) 4%, manganese
ore 3% and bauxite 1 percent. However, the output of apatite &
phosphorite decreased by 27%, chromite and gold 17% each, lignite
16%, magnesite 14%, lead conc. 9%, zinc conc. 6% and dolomite
3 percent. The production of copper conc. remained almost same
at the level of previous month.
