Index of mineral production drops 1.1% in October

The index of mineral production of the mining and quarrying sector for October declined by 1.1 per cent while the total value of the mineral output during the month was estimated at Rs 19,359 crore.
"The index of mineral production of the mining and quarrying sector for October 2016, at 129.4, was 1.1 per cent lower as compared to October 2015," an official statement said.
"The cumulative growth for April-October 2016-17 over the corresponding period of the previous year has been (-) 0.2 percent."
The total value of mineral production -- excluding atomic and minor minerals -- in the country in October 2016 read Rs 19,359 crore.

The contribution of coal was the highest at Rs 7,536 crore (39 per cent), followed by petroleum (crude) Rs 5,545 crore, natural gas (utilised) Rs 2,206 crore, iron ore Rs 2,047 crore, lignite Rs 527 crore and limestone Rs 548 crore.
These six minerals together accounted for about 95 per cent of the total value of mineral output in October 2016, the statement said.
The production level of key minerals during the month included 522 lakh tonnes of coal, 29 lakh tonnes of lignite, 2,668 million cubic metres of natural gas (utilised), 31 lakh tonnes of petroleum (crude), 1,868 thousand tonnes of bauxite, 121 kg of gold and 159 lakh tonnes of iron ore.