NEW DELHI (CommodityOnline.com) -- India's mineral sector has shown marginal growth during the current financial year, even though the actual mineral production slightly declined.
According to a data released by the Ministry of Mines, the mineral production from mining and quarrying sector in September 2007 marginally decreased by 0.81% as compared to that of the preceding month.
However, the mineral sector has shown a positive growth of 5.26% during the current financial year, i.e. April to September 2007, as compared to that of the previous year. The mineral production in September 2007 was also higher by 5.99% as compared to that of the corresponding month of previous year.
The data said the total value of mineral production (excluding atomic & minor minerals) in the country during September 2007 was Rs 66.83 billion ($1.7 billion). The contribution of coal was the highest at Rs 25.37 billion ($645 million). Next in the order of importance were: petroleum (crude) at Rs 15.56 billion ($396 million), iron ore Rs 10.91 billion ($277 million), natural gas (utilized) Rs 7.54 billion ($192 million), lignite Rs 1.98 billion ($50.3 million) and limestone Rs 1.64 billion ($41.7 million). These six minerals together contributed about 94% of the total value of mineral production in September 2007.
Production level of important minerals in September 2007 were: coal at 31.4 million tonnes; lignite at 2.4 million tonnes; natural gas (utilized) at 2,609 million cu.m.; petroleum (crude) at 2.8 million tonnes; bauxite at 1,318 thousand tonnes; chromite at 356 thousand tonnes; copper concentrate at 21 thousand tonnes; gold at 248 kilograms; iron ore at 14 million tonnes; lead concentrate at 9 thousand tonnes; manganese ore at 168 thousand tonnes; zinc concentrate at 92 thousand tonnes; apatite and phosphorite at 155 thousand tonnes; dolomite at 322 thousand tonnes; limestone at 14 million tonnes; and magnesite at 19 thousand tonnes. A nominal production of diamond was also reported in the current month.
The Ministry statement said in September 2007 the output of bauxite increased 12.97%, iron ore 12.2%, apatite and phosphorite 8.12%, zinc concentrate 3.3% and magnesite 3.29%. The production of copper concentrate maintained the level of previous month and that of natural gas (utilized) decreased marginally.
However, the production of limestone decreased 1.18%, coal 1.47%, lignite 1.71%, petroleum (crude) 2.85%, manganese ore 3.37%, chromite 4.11%, gold 5.34%, lead concentrate 8.81% and dolomite 9.64%.
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