MINERAL PRODUCTION RECORDS POSITIVE
GROWTH
The mineral production
from mining and quarrying sector registered a marginal growth
of about 0.2% in September 2003 as compared to the preceding month.
However, the mineral production in September 2003 recorded a positive
growth of 4.4% as compared to the corresponding month of previous
year.
The total value
of mineral production (excluding atomic & minor minerals)
in the country during September 2003 was Rs. 4679 crore as compared
to Rs. 4648 crore in August 2003. The contribution of coal was
the highest at Rs. 1709 crore (37%). Next in the order of importance
were – petroleum (crude) Rs. 1513 crore, natural gas (utilized)
Rs. 737 crore, iron ore Rs, 238 crore, lignite Rs. 153 crore and
limestone Rs. 119 crore. These six minerals together contributed
96% of total value of mineral production in September 2003.
Production level
of important minerals in September 2003 were – coal 261 lakh tonnes,
lignite 22 lakh tonnes, natural gas (utilized) 2544 million cu.
m., petroleum (crude) 27 lakh tonnes, bauxite 775 thousand tonnes,
chromite 217 thousand tonnes, copper conc. 11 thousand tonnes,
gold 294 kg, iron ore 79 lakh tonnes, lead conc. 6 thousand tonnes,
manganese ore 123 thousand tonnes, zinc conc. 51 thousand tonnes,
apatite & phosphorite 103 thousand tonnes, dolomite 299 thousand
tonnes, limestone 119 lakh tonnes and magnesite 28 thousand tonnes.
During September
2003 the output of apatite & phosphorite increased by 62%,
gold 26%, zinc conc. 21%, iron ore 9%, bauxite 8%, lead conc.
and limestone 4% each as compared to the preceding month. However,
the output of magnesite decreased by 7%, copper conc. 5%, natural
gas (utilized) and dolomite 3% each, manganese ore 2% and lignite
1%. The production of coal, petroleum (crude) and chromite remained
almost same at the level of previous month.
