New Delhi: The index of mineral production of the mining and quarrying sector for the month of March-2022 at 144.6 was 4 per cent higher as compared to the level in March last year. As per the provisional figures of the Indian Bureau of Mines (IBM), the cumulative growth for the period April-March-2021-22 over the corresponding period of the previous year has increased 12.2 per cent.

The production level of important minerals in March-2022 were coal 958 lakh tonne, lignite 60 lakh tonne, natural gas (utilized) 2813 million cu. m., petroleum (crude) 25 lakh tonne, bauxite 2031 thousand tonne, chromite 414 thousand tonne, copper conc. 9 thousand tonne, gold 169 kg, iron ore 270 lakh tonne, lead conc. 39 thousand tonne, manganese ore 269 thousand tonnes, zinc conc. 182 thousand tonne, limestone 373 lakh tonne, phosphorite 158 thousand tonnes, magnesite 12 thousand tonne, and diamond 8 carat. /BI/