Mineral Production Records 4.2% Growth

New Delhi: India’s mineral production has recorded 4.2 percent cumulative growth during the period April- August 2022-23 over the corresponding period of the previous year. However, as per the provisional statics of the Indian Bureau of Mines (IBM), Ministry of Mines, the index of mineral production of the mining and quarrying sector for the month of August 2022 (Base: 2011-12=100) at 99.6, was 3.9 percent lower as compared to the level in the month of August 2021.

The production level of important minerals in August 2022 were: Coal 580 lakh tonnes, Lignite 29 lakh tonnes, Natural gas (utilized) 2829 million cu. m., Petroleum (crude) 24 lakh tonnes, Bauxite 1450 thousand tonnes, Chromite 146 thousand tonnes, Copper conc. 9 thousand tonnes, Gold 76 kg, Iron ore 158 lakh tonnes, Lead conc. 35 thousand tonnes, Manganese ore 169 thousand tonnes, Zinc conc. 138 thousand tonnes, Limestone 320 lakh tonnes, Phosphorite 76 thousand tonnes, Magnesite 10 thousand tonnes, and Diamond 17 carat.

Important minerals showing positive growth during August 2022 over August 2021 include Coal (7.7%), Lead conc (6.3%), Zinc conc (3.4%), and Limestone (2.7%). Other important minerals showing negative growth include: Natural Gas (U) (-0.8%), Manganese ore (-1.9%), Petroleum (crude) (-3.3%), Magnesite (-3.5%), Copper conc (-14.1%), Gold (-14.6%), Chromite (-16.6%), Bauxite (-17.6%), Iron Ore (-19.3%), Lignite (-20.7%), Phosphorite (-38.2%), and Diamond (-55.3%).