Mineral production grows by 3.3%

NEW DELHI: Mineral production from mining and quarrying sector in May grew 3.3 per cent at Rs 6,503 cr as compared to that in the preceding month.

The production figures did not include atomic and minor minerals.

Production in May was higher by three per cent over the same month of the last year, an official release said.

The mineral sector grew 3.19 per cent during April-May 2006 as against the same period previous year.

Contribution of coal was the highest at Rs 2,649 cr (41 per cent). This was followed by petroleum (crude) Rs 1,591 cr, natural gas (utilized) Rs 778 cr, iron ore Rs 798 cr, lignite Rs 191 cr and limestone Rs 157 cr. These six minerals together contributed about 95 per cent of the total value of mineral production in May 2006.

Production level of coal during the month was 336 lakh tonnes, for lignite 27 lakh tonnes, natural gas (utilized) 2686 million cu.m., petroleum (crude) 29 lakh tonnes, bauxite 1192 thousand tonnes, gold 171 kg., iron ore 149 lakh tonnes, lead conc. 9 thousand tonnes, the release said.

During the month, output of lignite increased by 16.95 per cent, bauxite by 9.64 per cent, manganese ore by 7.42 per cent, coal by 4.48 per cent, petroleum (crude) by 3.82 per cent, iron ore by 2.92 per cent, natural gas (utilized) by 2.09 per cent, it added.

The output of diamond, however, decreased by 99.01 per cent, apatite and phosphorite by 13.22 per cent, lead conc. by 8.87 per cent, zinc conc. by 7.15 per cent, copper concentrates 5.63 per cent and gold by 4.47 per cent.