By Our Correspondent
BHUBANESWAR: Important minerals showing positive growth during December, 2022 over December, 2021 include: Gold (64.2%) , Phosphorite (53.9%), Iron Ore (19.5%),Limestone(14.5),Manganese Ore(12.8%), Coal(11.4%), Zinc conc (9.4%), Lead conc (4.5%), Copper conc (3.9%), and Natural Gas (2.6%). Other important minerals showing negative growth include: Petroleum (-1.2%), Bauxite (-9%). Lignite(-10.7),Chromite(-11.5%), Magnesite(-22.5%) and Diamond(-38.6%).
Production level of important minerals in December, 2022 were: Coal 833 lakh tonnes, Lignite 35 lakh tonnes, Natural gas (utilized) 2888 million cu. m., Petroleum (crude) 25 lakh tonnes, Bauxite 2272 thousand tonnes, Chromite 340 thousand tonnes, Copper conc. 10 thousand tonnes , Gold 174 kg, Iron ore 251 lakh tonnes, Lead conc.30 thousand tonnes, Manganese ore 307 thousand tonnes, Zinc conc. 137 thousand tonnes, Limestone 355 lakh tonnes, Phosphorite 170 thousand tonnes, Magnesite 9 thousand tonnes and Diamond 43 carat.
The index of mineral production of mining and quarrying sector for the month of December, 2022 (Base: 2011-12=100) at 107.4, is 9.8% higher as compared to the level in the month of December, 2021, as per the provisional figures of Indian Bureau of Mines (IBM). At the same time, the cumulative growth for the period April-December, 2022-23 over the corresponding period of the previous year is 5.4 per cent.
