Mineral Output Dips In June

Mineral production in the country, excluding atomic and minor minerals, declined marginally to Rs 4,039 crore in June, 2001, from Rs 4,285 crore in the previous month. Crude petroleum was the highest contributor with Rs 1,420 crore (35 per cent).

Coal production was at Rs 1,419 crore, natural gas at Rs 665 crore, iron ore at Rs 168 crore, lignite at Rs 90 crore and limestone at Rs 115 crore, an official statement said here.

It added that these six minerals together contributed 96 per cent of the total value of mineral production in June, 2001.

The country produced 22.4 million tonne of coal, 2.5 million tonne of crude petroleum, 2288 million cubic meters of natural gas and 6.2 million tonne of iron ore in June.

It also produced 1.905 million tonne of lignite, 115,000 tonne of manganese, 124,000 tonne of chromite, 546,000 tonne of bauxite, 12,000 tonne of copper, 478 kg of gold, 3443 tonne of lead, 24173 tonne of zinc, 113 lakh tonne of limestone, 73,000 tonne of apatite and phosphorite and 228,000 tonne of dolomite in June.

During June, the output of magnesite increased by 22 per cent, lignite 16 per cent and limestone 1 per cent.

However, the output of gold decreased by 45 per cent, zinc 13 per cent, coal 10 per cent, chromite 9 per cent, apatite and phosphorite 8 per cent, manganese ore 7 per cent, dolomite 6 per cent, bauxite and lead 2 per cent each and petroleum crude 1 per cent.

The output of natural gas and copper remained almost at the level of the previous month.