Mineral output in May up 3.73 per cent year-on-year

Mineral production in the country from mining and quarrying rose 3.58 per cent in May 2009 compared with that of the preceding month. The mineral sector also showed a growth of 3.73 per cent year-on-year during May 2009 as compared to May 2008.

The total value of mineral production (excluding atomic and minor minerals) during May 2009 stood at Rs9,009 crore, an official release said. The contribution of coal was the highest at Rs3,160 crore (35 per cent), followed by iron ore (Rs2,175 crore), crude petroleum (Rs1,550 crore), natural gas (Rs1,025 crore), lignite (Rs266 crore) and limestone (Rs214 crore). These six minerals together contributed about 93 per cent of the total value of mineral production in May 2009.

Coal production stood at 3.96 crore tonnes in May 2009, lignite 33 lakh tonnes, natural gas 3307 million cu m, crude petroleum 28 lakh tones, bauxite 11.6 lakh tonnes, chromite 4.49 lakh tonnes, copper concentrate 10,000 tonnes, gold 131 kg, iron ore 2.04 crore tonnes, lead concentrate 10,000 tonnes, manganese ore 2.8 lakh tonnes, zinc concentrate 95,000 tonnes, apatite and phosphorite 148,000 tonnes, dolomite 347,000 tonnes, limestone 1.92 crore tonnes and magnesite 21,000 tonnes.

In may 2009, the output of natural gas increased by 16.57 per cent, chromite 14.20 per cent, magnesite 9.59 per cent, manganese ore 7.41 per cent, iron ore 3.86 per cent, limestone 3.79 per cent, lignite 2.48 per cent, dolomite 2.48 per cent, and petroleum (crude) 1.94 per cent.

Production of copper concentrate remained at the level of previous month while the production of coal decreased by 1.06 per cent, zinc concentrate 1.33 per cent, lead concentrate 3.69 per cent, bauxite 9.06 per cent, apatite & phosphorite 10.24 per cent and gold 17.61 per cent.