The mineral production landscape in India has exhibited robust growth, as reflected in the latest statistics for July 2023. According to the provisional data released by the Indian Bureau of Mines (IBM), the index of mineral production for the mining and quarrying sector, based on the 2011-12=100 index, soared to 111.9. This figure signifies an impressive 10.7% surge when compared to the corresponding month of July 2022.
The cumulative performance over the April to July 2023 period, when contrasted with the same timeframe in the previous year, has been equally promising, with a cumulative growth rate of 7.3%. This underscores the sector’s resilience and its capacity to contribute significantly to India’s industrial landscape.
A breakdown of the mineral production figures for July 2023 reveals the following noteworthy statistics:
- Coal: 693 lakh tonnes
- Lignite: 32 lakh tonnes
- Natural Gas (Utilized): 3062 million cubic meters
- Petroleum (Crude): 25 lakh tonnes
- Bauxite: 1477 thousand tonnes
- Chromite: 280 thousand tonnes
- Copper Concentrate: 10 thousand tonnes
- Gold: 102 kilograms
- Iron Ore: 172 lakh tonnes
- Lead Concentrate: 30 thousand tonnes
- Manganese Ore: 217 thousand tonnes
- Zinc Concentrate: 132 thousand tonnes
- Limestone: 346 lakh tonnes
- Phosphorite: 120 thousand tonnes
- Magnesite: 10 thousand tonnes
Several key minerals witnessed substantial positive growth in July 2023 when compared to the same month in 2022. Notable performers include:
- Chromite: 45.9%
- Manganese Ore: 41.7%
- Coal: 14.9%
- Limestone: 12.7%
- Iron Ore: 11.2%
- Gold: 9.7%
- Copper Concentrate: 9%
- Natural Gas (Utilized): 8.9%
- Lead Concentrate: 4.7%
- Zinc Concentrate: 3.6%
- Magnesite: 3.4%
- Petroleum (Crude): 2.1%
While the majority of minerals experienced positive growth, a few showed negative trends in July 2023 compared to July 2022. These include:
- Lignite: -0.7%
- Bauxite: -3.2%
- Phosphorite: -24.7%
- Diamond: -27.3%
The remarkable growth in mineral production, particularly in critical sectors like coal, iron ore, and natural gas, signifies the resilience and strength of India’s mining and quarrying sector. These figures not only contribute to the nation’s industrial growth but also reflect the sector’s pivotal role in driving economic development.
