Mineral production index of mining and quarrying sector for the month of December, 2023 (Base: 2011-12=100) stands at 139.4, which is 5.1 per cent higher than the level for the month of December, 2022. According to provisional data of the Indian Bureau of Mines (IBM), the cumulative growth for the period April-December, 2023-24 is 8.5 per cent over the same period last year.
The production level of important minerals in December, 2023 was as follows – coal 929 lakh, lignite 40 lakh, petroleum (crude) 25 lakh, iron ore 255 lakh, limestone 372 lakh tonnes each, natural gas (utilized) 3078 million cubic meters, Bauxite 2429 thousand, Chromite 235 thousand, Copper concentrate. 11 thousand, lead concentrate. 35 thousand, manganese ore 319 thousand, zinc concentrate. 148 thousand, phosphorite 117 thousand, magnesite 16 thousand tons each and gold 122 kg.
Important minerals showing positive growth during December, 2023 as compared to December, 2022 include: Magnesite (83.7 per cent), Lead Concentrate (16.5 per cent), Lignite (14.6 per cent), Copper Concentrate (13.7 per cent), Limestone (12.5 per cent) ), coal (10.8 percent), zinc concentrate (7.8 percent), bauxite (6.6 percent), natural gas (U) (6.6 percent), manganese ore (4.0 percent) and iron ore (1.3 percent), and other important minerals, Those showing negative growth include petroleum (crude) (-1.0 per cent), gold (-29.9 per cent), chromite (-30.8 per cent), phosphorite (-31.2 per cent) and diamond (-74.4 per cent).