Coal news and updates

Mineral production index up in 3.4% y-o-y in Nov

January 28: The index of mineral production of mining and quarrying sector for the month of November (new Series 2004-05=100) 2014 stood at 127.9, up 3.4% as compared to November 2013, according to an official release.

The cumulative growth for the period April - November 2014-15 over the corresponding period of previous year was up 2.5%.

The total value of mineral production (excluding atomic & minor minerals) in the country during November 2014 was Rs 19,066 crore. The contribution of: coal was the highest at Rs 7,099 crore (37%). Next in the order of importance were: petroleum (crude) Rs 5,713 crore, iron ore Rs 2,363 crore, natural gas (utilized) Rs 2,236 crore, lignite Rs 379 crore and limestone Rs 410 crore.

These six minerals together contributed about 95% of the total value of mineral production in November 2014.

Production level of important minerals in November 2014 were: coal 54.6 million tons (mt), lignite 3.4 mt, natural gas (utilized) 2,704 million cu. m., petroleum (crude) 3.1 mt, bauxite 1.203 mt, chromite 1.60 mt, copper conc. 9,000 tons, gold 132 kg., iron ore 8.6 mt, lead conc. 17,000, manganese ore 0.174 mt, zinc conc. 0.135 mt, apatite & phosphorite 86,000, dolomite 524,000 tons, limestone 22.4 mt, magnesite 26,0000 tons and diamond 2836 carat.

In November 2014, the output of magnesite grew 67.5%, gold 53.5%, diamond 30.1%, zinc conc. 16.5%, lignite 16.4%, coal 15.6%, lead conc.13.9%, petroleum (crude) 0.2% and limestone 0.1% grew over the same month last year.

However, production of dolomite fell 2.1%, natural gas (utilized) 3.7%, copper conc.13.7%, manganese ore 20.6%, bauxite 21.0%, iron ore 30.9%, chromite 34.2% and ‘apatite & phosphorite 35.3% over November 2013.