By Our Correspondent
NEW DELHI/BHUBANESWAR: The index of mineral production of mining and quarrying sector for the month of January, 2021 (Base: 2011-12=100) at 119.7, was 3.7% lower as compared to the level in the month of January, 2020. The cumulative growth for the period April- January, 2020-21 over the corresponding period of previous year has been (-) 10.4 percent.
Production level of important minerals in January, 2021 were: Coal 737 lakh tonnes, Lignite 37 lakh tonnes, Natural gas (utilized) 2478 million cu. m., Petroleum (crude) 26 lakh tonnes, Bauxite 1882 thousand tonnes, Chromite 471 thousand tonnes, Copper conc. 10 thousand tonnes , Gold 92 kg, Iron ore 214 lakh tonnes, Lead conc. 35 thousand tonnes, Manganese ore 270 thousand tonnes, Zinc conc. 150 thousand tonnes, Limestone 344 lakh tonnes, Phosphorite 141 thousand tonnes, Magnesite 7 thousand tonnes and Diamond 0 carat.
The production of important minerals showing positive growth during January, 2021 over January, 2020 include: ‘Zinc conc.’ (9.6%), ‘Phosphorite’ (6.1%), ‘Chromite’ (5.7%), ‘Limestone’ (2.5%) and ‘Manganese Ore’ (1.3%). The production of other important minerals showing negative growth is: ‘Gold’ [(-) 42.5%], , ‘Copper conc.’ [(-) 19.8%], ‘Lignite’ [(-) 17.8%], ‘Bauxite’ [(-) 13.6%], ‘Iron ore’ [(-) 6.6%], ‘Petroleum (crude)’ [(-) 4.6%], ‘Lead conc.’ [(-) 2.5%], ‘Natural Gas (utilized)’ [(-) 2.1%] and ‘Coal’ [(-) 1.8%].
