OREANDA-NEWS. The index of mineral production of mining and quarrying sector for the month of March (new Series 2004-05=100) 2016 at 148.8, was 0.1% lower as compared to March 2015. The cumulative growth for the period April- March 2015-16 over the corresponding period of previous year stands at (+) 2.2%.

The total value of mineral production (excluding atomic & minor minerals) in the country during March 2016 was Rs. 22341 crore. The contribution of Coal was the highest at Rs. 9976 crore (45%). Next in the order of importance were: Petroleum (crude) Rs. 5565 crore, Iron ore Rs. 2173 crore, Natural gas (utilized) Rs. 2014 crore, Lignite Rs.842 crore and Limestone Rs. 550 crore. These six minerals together contributed about 95% of the total value of mineral production in March 2016.

Production level of important minerals in March 2016 were: Coal 694 lakh tonnes, Lignite 57 lakh tonnes, Natural gas (utilized) 2435  million cu. m., Petroleum (crude) 31 lakh tonnes, Bauxite 1952 thousand tonnes, Chromite 427 thousand tonnes, Copper conc. 13 thousand tonnes, Gold 147 kg., Iron ore 175 lakh tonnes, Lead conc. 28 thousand tonnes, Manganese ore 178 thousand tonnes, Zinc conc. 128 thousand tonnes, Apatite & Phosphorite 65 thousand tonnes, Limestone 282 lakh tonnes, Magnesite 25 thousand  tonnes  and Diamond  4006 carat.                                                                                                                                                                                                             

 The production of important minerals showing  positive growth during March 2016 over March 2015 include ‘‘Iron ore’ (40.2%), ‘Magnesite’ (32.9%), ‘Copper conc.’ (28.6%), ‘Lead conc. (20.2%), ‘Gold’ (19.5%), ‘Chromite’ (13.5%), ‘Bauxite’ (11.9%), ‘Diamond’ (11.6%),  ‘Limestone’ (10.1%), and ‘Coal’ (1.4%). The production of other important minerals showing negative growth are: ‘Apatite & Phosphorite’ [(-) 80.7%], ‘Zinc conc.’ [(-) 23.9%], ‘Manganese ore’ [(-) 18.3%], ‘Natural gas (utilized)’ [(-) 10.9%], ‘Lignite’ [(-) 7.6%] and ‘Petroleum (crude)’ [(-) 5.1%].