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India’s mineral production up 2.9% in Dec 2015

India's mineral production rose 2.9% in December 2015 compared to the year-ago period.

The index of mineral production of mining and quarrying sector for December 2015 (new Series 2004-05=100) 2015 stood at 137.5, higher by 2.9% compared to December 2014, the data released by the mines ministry showed.

The cumulative growth for the April-November period of 2015-16 rose 2.3% compared to the same period of last fiscal. "The total value of mineral production (excluding atomic and minor minerals) in the country during November 2015 was Rs 20,096 crore," it said.

Coal contributed the highest at Rs 9,132 crore (43%) followed by petroleum (crude) at Rs 5,598 crore, natural gas (utilised) Rs 2,187 crore, iron ore Rs 1,604 crore, limestone Rs 479 crore and lignite Rs 356 crore.

The six minerals together contributed about 96% of the total value of mineral production in December 2015, the ministry said. While 623 lakh tons of coal was produced in the country in November, lignite production stood at 29 lakh tons.

India produced 2,644 million cubic meters of natural gas (utilised), 31 lakh tons of petroleum (crude), 1,758 thousand tons of bauxite, copper conc. of 13,000 tons, gold 117 kg, iron ore 127 lakh tons, lead conc. 21,000 tons, manganese ore 180,000 tons, zinc conc. 123,000 tons, limestone 231 lakh tons and diamond 3,336 carat.

Production of iron ore, copper conc., lead conc., bauxite, coal and limestone rose during November 2015 compared to the same month in 2014 whereas that of lignite, diamond, gold, manganese, zinc conc., natural gas and petroleum (crude) declined during the same period.