MINRERAL PRODUCTION IN APRIL UP
8 PER CENT
The mineral production
from mining and quarrying sector registered a negative growth
of 12 per cent in April, 2003 as compared to the preceding month
mainly due to less production of coal, lignite, natural gas (utilized),
petroleum (crude), bauxite, chromite, copper conc., gold, iron
ore, manganese ore, lead con., zinc conc., apatite and phosphorite,
dolomite and limestone. The mineral production during the month
showed 8 per cent increase as compared to that of the corresponding
month of previous year.
The total value
of mineral production (excluding atomic and minor minerals) in
the country during April was Rs. 4661 crore as compared to Rs.
5376 crore in the previous month . The contribution of coal was
the highest at Rs. 1749 crore (38 per cent). Next in the order
of importance were petroleum (crude) Rs. 1433 crore, natural gas
(utilized) Rs. 747 crore, iron ore Rs. 254 crore, lignite Rs.
126 crore and limestone Rs. 124 crore. These six minerals together
contributed 95 per cent of the total value of mineral production
in April 2003.
Production level
of important minerals in April, 2003 were coal 267 lakh tonnes,
lignite 18 lakh tonnes, natural gas (utilized) 2574 million cu.m.,
petroleum (crude) 26 lakh tonnes, bauxite 839 thousand tonnes,
chromite 388 thousand tonnes, copper conc. 14 thousand tonnes,
gold 247 kg., iron ore 99 lakh tonnes, lead conc. 5 thousand tonnes,
manganese ore 136 thousand tonnes, zince conc. 45 thousand tonnes,
apatite and phosphorite 108 thousand tonnes, dolomite 264 thousand
tonnes, limestone 120 lakh tonnes and magnesite 21 thousand tonnes.
During April,
2003 the output of coal decreased by 23 per cent, bauxite 19 per
cent, maganese ore 14 per cent, lignite 13 per cent, apatite and
phosphorite and dolomite 10 per cent each, petroleum (crude) 9
per cent, limestone 8 per cent, zinc conc. 7 per cent, natural
gas (utilized) and chromite 4 per cent each, gold, iron ore and
lead conc. 2 per cent each as compared to the preceding month.
However, the output of magnesite increased by 4 per cent. The
production of copper conc. remained almost same at the level of
previous month.
