MINERAL PRODUCTION IN JANUARY UP
2.7 PER CENT
The
total value of mineral production (excluding atomic & minor
minerals) in the country during January 2003 was Rs. 5059 crore
as against Rs. 5057 crore in December 2002. The contribution of
coal was the highest at Rs. 2025 crore (40 per cent). Next in
the order of importance were: petroleum (crude) Rs. 1555 crore,
natural gas (utilized) Rs. 765 crore, iron ore Rs. 234 crore,
lignite Rs. 134 crore and limestone Rs.131 crore. These six minerals
together contributed 96 per cent of the total value of mineral
production in January 2003. The mineral production from mining
and quarrying sector during the month showed 2.7 per cent increase
as compared to that of the corresponding month of previous year.
Production level
of important minerals in January 2003 were: coal 319 lakh tonnes,
lignite 23 lakh tonnes, natural gas (utilized) 2633 million cu.
m., petroleum (crude) 28 lakh tonnes, bauxite 868 thousand tonnes,
chromite 248 thousand tonnes, copper conc. 14 thousand tonnes,
gold 266 kg., iron ore 90 lakh tonnes, lead conc. 4 thousand tonnes,
manganese ore 148 thousand tonnes, zinc conc. 33 thousand tonnes,
apatite and phosporite 104 thousand tonnes, dolomite 295 thousand
tonnes, limestone 126 lakh tonnes and magnesite 21 thousand tonnes.
During the month
the output of apatite and phosporite increased by 34 per cent,
leade conc. 8 per cent, lignite 7 per cent, dolomite 5 per cent,
coal 2 per cent, natural gas (utilised), gold, manganese ore and
limestone 1 per cent each as compared to the preceding month.
However, the output of chromite decreased by 20 per cent, magnestie
14 per cent, copper conc. 3 per cent bauxite, iron ore and zinc
conc. 2 per cent each and petroleum (crude) 1 per cent.
