Coal news and updates

Mineral production increases 2.8 % m-o-m in October

December 18: India’s index of mineral production of the mining and quarrying sector in October 2013 was higher by 2.8% compared to that of the preceding month (September 2013), according to a provisional data from the Ministry of Mines.

The total value of mineral production (excluding atomic and minor minerals) in the country during October 2013 was at Rs 16,412 crore.

According to the data, the mineral sector has shown a negative growth of 3.5% during October 2013 compared to that of the corresponding month of the previous year.

Petroleum (crude) was the highest contributor at Rs 5,804 crore (35%) followed by coal (Rs 5,130 crore), iron ore (Rs 2,088 crore), natural gas (utilised) (Rs 1,837 crore), lignite Rs (358 crore) and limestone (Rs 386 crore).

These six minerals together contributed about 95% of the total value of mineral production in October 2013.

Production of coal was 42.6 million tons (mt) while that of lignite was 2.9 mt, natural gas (utilised) 2,870 million cu. m., petroleum (crude) 3.2 mt, bauxite 1.216 mt, chromite 155,000 tons, copper conc. 12,000, gold 116kg, iron ore 10.0 mt, lead conc. 16,000 tons, manganese ore 177,000 tons, zinc conc. 137,000 tons, apatite & phosphorite 160,000 tons, dolomite 463,000 tons, limestone 2.21 mt, magnesite 14,000 tons and diamond 2,798 carat.

In October 2013, the output of lead conc. increased by 30.8%, zinc conc. 21.4%, apatite & phosphorite 17.4%, limestone 10.3%, coal 4.7%, petroleum (crude) 3.2%, and natural gas (utilised) 2.0 percent. However the production of copper conc. decreased by 0.4%, gold 0.9%, bauxite 2.5%, magnesite 3.2%, dolomite 4.8%, iron ore 5.2%, diamond 6.8%, lignite 8.2%, chromite 8.7% and manganese ore 11.4 percent.