New Delhi, November 28 (IANS). The production of major minerals in the country has recorded strong growth in the first seven months of the financial year 2024-25 (between April and October). This information was given by the Mines Ministry on Thursday.
In the financial year 2023-24, minerals were produced at a record level in the country.
The share of iron ore in the country’s total mineral production is 69 percent by value. Iron ore production for the entire financial year 2023-24 was 274 million metric tonnes (MMT).
According to provisional data, 152.1 MMT iron ore was produced in the first seven months (April-October) of the financial year 2023-24, which has increased to 158.4 MMT in the period April to October of the financial year 2024-25. An increase of 4.1 percent has been seen in this.
Manganese ore production has increased by 11.1 percent to 2.0 MMT in the financial year 2024-25 (April-October), from 1.8 MMT during the same period last year. Bauxite production has increased by 11.3 percent to 13.8 MMT in the financial year 2024-25 (April-October), which was 12.4 MMT in the financial year 2023-24 (April-October).
In the non-ferrous metals sector, primary aluminum production in the financial year 2024-25 (April-October) registered an increase of 1.2 percent as compared to the same period last year, which was 24.17 lakh tonnes in the financial year 2023-24 (April-October). (LT) in the financial year 2024-25 (April-October) It became 24.46 lakh tonnes (LT). During this period, refined copper production has increased by 6 percent from 2.83 LT to 3.00 LT.
India is the world’s second largest aluminum producer, one of the top-10 producers of refined copper and the fourth largest iron ore producer in the world.
The sustained growth in iron ore production in the current financial year reflects the strong demand conditions in the steel industry, which uses it as an input.
These production growth trends in minerals point to continued strong economic activity in user sectors such as energy, infrastructure, construction, automotive and machinery.
According to the latest data compiled by the Steel Ministry, India is the only major economy to show strong growth in steel consumption with a double-digit jump of 13.5 per cent in the first half of 2024-25.
—IANS
ABS/GKT
