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The mineral production from mining and quarrying sector in March 2005 increased by 15.74 per cent as compared to that in the preceding month due to increased production of coal, lignite, petroleum (crude), natural gas (utilized), chromite, copper conc., gold, iron ore, lead conc., manganese ore, zinc conc., dolomite, limestone and mangesite. It recorded a growth of 5.6 per cent as compared to that of the corresponding month of previous year. The mineral sector has shown a growth of 4.28 per cent during the current financial year 2004-05 as compared to that of the previous year.
The total value of mineral production (excluding atomic & minor minerals) in the country during March 2005 was Rs.6,713 crore. The contribution of coal was the highest at Rs. 3,040 crore (45 per cent). Next in the order of importance were : petroleum (crude) Rs.1,625 crore, natural gas (utilised) Rs.795 crore, iron ore Rs.558 crore, lignite Rs. 222 crore and limestone Rs.142 crore. These six minerals together contributed about 95 per cent of the total value of mineral production in March 2005.
Production levels of important minerals during the month were : coal 416 lakh tonnes, lignite 33 lakh tonnes, natural gas (utilized) 2,743 million cu. m., petroleum (crude) 29 lakh tonnes, bauxite 1,167 thousand tonnes, chromite 393 thousand tonnes, copper conc. 13 thousand tonnes, gold 228 kg., iron ore 145 lakh tonnes, lead conc. 9 thousand tonnes, manganese ore 240 thousand tonnes, zinc conc. 71 thousand tonnes, apatite & phosphorite 121 thousand tonnes, dolomite 402 thousand tonnes, limestone 145 lakh tonnes and magnesite 32 thousand tonnes.
During the month, the output of lead conc. increased by 23.6 per cent, natural gas (utilized) 22.7 per cent, coal 20.1 per cent, zinc conc. 17.4 per cent, lignite 17.0 per cent, chromite by 15.4 per cent, petroleum (crude) 12.4 per cent, manganese ore 10.8 per cent, gold 9.1 per cent, iron ore 8.8 per cent, magnesite 8.3 per cent, copper conc. 8.1 per cent, dolomite 6.3 per cent and limestone 4.3 per cent whereas a nominal increase was recorded in apatite & phosphorite. However, the output of bauxite decreased by 1.6 per cent during the month.
DS/SCH
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