New Delhi: The country's mineral production registered a cumulative growth of 4.2 percent in the first five months of this fiscal compared to the year-ago period. The index of mineral production of mining and quarrying sector during August was at 99.6, which was 3.9 percent lower as compared to the level in August last year, according to the provisional data of the Indian Bureau of Mines (IBM).
The output of important minerals in August includes coal at 580 lakh tonnes, lignite at 29 lakh tonnes, natural gas (utilised) at 2,829 million cubic metres, petroleum (crude) at 24 lakh tonnes and bauxite at 14.5 lakh tonnes.
Coal, lead concentrated, zinc concentrated, and limestone are important minerals which have shown positive growth in August.