By Our Correspondent
BHUBANESWAR: The index of mineral production of mining and quarrying sector for the month of JANUARY, 2024 (Base: 2011-12=100) at 144.1 is 5.9 % higher as compared to the level in the month of JANUARY, 2023. As per the provisional statistics of Indian Bureau of Mines (IBM), the cumulative growth for the period APRIL- JANUARY, 2023-24 over the corresponding period of previous year is 8.3 %percent.
Production level of important minerals in JANUARY, 2024 were: Coal 998 lakh tonne, Lignite 41 lakh tonne, Natural gas (utilized) 3073 million cu. m., Petroleum (crude) 25 lakh tonne, Bauxite 2426 thousand tonne, Chromite 251 thousand tonne, Copper conc. 12.6 thousand tonne , Gold 134 kg, Iron ore 252 lakh tonne, Lead conc. 34 thousand tonne, Manganese ore 304 thousand tonne, Zinc conc. 152 thousand tonne, Limestone 394 lakh tonne, Phosphorite 109 thousand tonne, and Magnesite 13 thousand tonne.
Important minerals showing positive growth during JANUARY, 2024 over JANUARY, 2023 include: Magnesite (90.1%), Copper Conc.(34.2%), Coal (10.3%), Limestone(10%), Bauxite (9.8%), Manganese Ore (7.8%), Natural gas (U) (5.5%), Lead Conc.(5.2%), Iron Ore (4.3%), Lignite(3.6%), Zinc Conc.(1.3%), and Petroleum(crude) (0.7%). Other important minerals showing negative growth include Gold (-23.4%), Chromite (-35.2%) and Phosphorite (-44.4%).
