PIB News Update: The index of mineral production of mining and quarrying sector for the month of December, 2020 (Base: 2011-12=100) at 115.1, was 4.8% lower as compared to the level in the month of December, 2019. The cumulative growth for the period April- December, 2020-21 over the corresponding period of previous year has been (-) 11.3 percent.
Production level of important minerals in December, 2020 were: Coal 711 lakh tonnes, Lignite 32 lakh tonnes, Natural gas (utilized) 2355 million cu. m., Petroleum (crude) 26 lakh tonnes, Bauxite 1963 thousand tonnes, Chromite 236 thousand tonnes, Copper conc. 7 thousand tonnes , Gold 61 kg, Iron ore 209 lakh tonnes, Lead conc. 34 thousand tonnes, Manganese ore 275 thousand tonnes, Zinc conc. 131 thousand tonnes, Limestone 333 lakh tonnes, Phosphorite 133 thousand tonnes, Magnesite 6 thousand tonnes and Diamond 2901 carat.
The production of important minerals showing positive growth during December, 2020 over December, 2019 include: ‘Limestone’ (10.1%), ‘Zinc conc.’ (8.6%), ‘Lead conc.’ (3.4%) and ‘Coal’ (2.1%). The production of other important minerals showing negative growth is: ‘Gold’ [(-) 55.5%], ‘Chromite’ [(-) 37.8%], ‘Copper conc.’ [(-) 37.6%], ‘Lignite’ [(-) 18.9%], ‘Phosphorite’ [(-) 16.3%], ‘Manganese Ore’ [(-) 13.8%] ‘Iron ore’ [(-) 12.0%], ‘Natural Gas (utilized)’ [(-) 7.2%], ‘Bauxite’ [(-) 7.0%], and ‘Petroleum (crude)’ [(-) 3.6%].