Index of mineral production witnesses 1.3% growth in May

The Dollar Business Bureau

The index of mineral output of mining and quarrying sector for May 2016 (new series 2004-05=100) witnessed a 1.3 percent growth compared to the same month in 2015.

The cumulative growth for April-May 2016-17 as compared to the corresponding period of last year surged 1.2 percent, according to the provisional figures provided by Ministry of Mines in a statement on Monday.

The overall value of India’s mineral production, excluding the atomic and minor minerals, during the month of May this year stood at Rs.18809 crore, in which coal contributed the highest at 39 percent (Rs.7423 crore).

The contribution of other minerals include crude petroleum Rs.5595 crore, natural gas (utilised) contributed Rs.2122 crore, iron ore Rs.1968 crore. In addition, limestone and lignite segments contributed Rs.545 crore and Rs.406 crore, respectively. These six minerals collectively contributed around 96 percent of the overall value of mineral output in the month of May. 

The output of major minerals in the given month was: coal at 517 lakh tonnes, limestone 264 lakh tonnes, iron ore 166 lakh tonnes, lignite at 32 lakh tonnes, petroleum (crude) 31 lakh tonnes, bauxite 2389 thousand tonnes, copper concentrate 12 thousand tonnes, chromite 253 thousand tonnes, lead concentrate 18 thousand tonnes, zinc concentrate 62 thousand tonnes, manganese ore 191 thousand tonnes, apatite & phosphorite 57 thousand tonnes, magnesite 23 thousand tonnes, natural gas (utilised) 2566 million cubic meter, diamond 3132 carat and gold 93 kg.

The production of iron ore and magnesite saw a positive growth of 36.2 percent and 34.2 percent, respectively, in May 2016 compared to the same month in 2015. The other important minerals which witnessed the positive trend include copper concentrate (19.7 percent), coal (5.2 percent) and limestone (1.5 percent).

On the other hand, minerals such as zinc concentrate, apatite & phosphorite and bauxite witnessed a decline in the May 2016, with a negative growth of 49.9 percent, 49.2 percent and 48.9 percent, respectively.

Besides, the other important witnessed a negative growth include lead concentrate (-10.4 percent), lignite (-9.7 percent), gold (-7.9 percent), natural gas utilised (-6.8 percent, chromite (-3.8 percent), petroleum crude (-3.3 percent), diamond (-1.6 percent), and manganese ore (-0.9 percent).