Coal news and updates

Mineral production up 7.4% in December

February 18: The index of mineral production of the mining and quarrying sector was up 7.4% in December 2013, compared to that of the preceding month, according to provisional data released by the Ministry of Mines.
The mineral sector also achieved a positive growth of 0.4% during December 2013 as compared to that of the corresponding month of the previous year, the data showed.

The total value of mineral production (excluding atomic and minor minerals) in the country during December 2013 was at Rs 18,735 crore.

The contribution of coal was the highest at Rs 6,540 crore (35%) and was followed by petroleum (crude) at Rs 5,945 crore, iron ore at Rs 2,522 crore, natural gas (utilised) at Rs 1,860 crore, limestone at Rs 376 crore and lignite at Rs 481 crore. These six minerals together contributed about 95% of the total value of mineral production in December 2013.

Production level of important minerals in December 2013 were thus: Coal 53.4 million tons (mt), lignite 3.9 mt, natural gas (utilised) 2,906 million cu. m., petroleum (crude) 3.3 mt, bauxite 2,615 thousand tons, chromite 286 thousand tons, copper conc. 12 thousand tons, gold 122 kg., iron ore 12.4 mt, lead conc. 16 thousand tons, manganese ore 237 thousand tons, zinc conc. 124 thousand tons, apatite & phosphorite 141 thousand tons, dolomite 552 thousand tons, limestone 21.9 mt, magnesite 14 thousand tons and diamond 3,206 carat.

In December 2013, the output of bauxite increased by 77.8%, diamond 47.1%, gold 41.9%, lignite 36.5%, chromite 17.5%, coal 13.0%, manganese ore 11.4%, dolomite 9.1%, zinc conc. 7.6%, apatite & phosphorite 7.2% petroleum (crude) 3.8%, lead conc. 3.7%, natural gas (utilized) 3.5% and magnesite 1.9 percent. However the production of limestone decreased by 0.4%, copper conc. 1.7% and iron ore 2.1%.