The index ofmineral production stood at 156.1 in March 2024, an increase of 1.2 per centover the month of March 2023, according to the Ministry of Mines. The ministryalso said that for the entire financial year 2023-24, the mineral productionindex has increased by 7.5 per cent compared to 2022-23.

In March 2024, non-fuelminerals, such as copper concentrate, gold, manganese ore, diamonds, graphite,kinite, silimanite, limeshall, limestone, and magnesite saw relatively positivegrowth for the same month in 2023, the ministry said.

The combinedproduction value of iron ore and limestone accounts for about 80 per cent ofthe total mineral production value under the Mineral Conservation andDevelopment Regulation. According to the probable estimated data related to theproduction of these major minerals, the country has seen a huge increase in theproduction of these minerals in the financial year 2023-24.

In the financialyear 2022-23, it was 258 million metric tonnes. In the financial year 2023-24,it increased by 7.4 per cent to 277 million metric tonnes of iron ore. Theministry also said it was a record-breaking product.

A similar growthtrend has been observed in limestone production. In FY 2022-23, limestoneproduction was 406.5 million metric tonnes, surpassing this record in FY2023-24, with an increase of 10.7 per cent to 450 million metric tonnes, theministry said.

Primaryaluminium metal production in the non-iron ore sector broke all records for thefinancial year 2022-23 in the financial year 2023-24. The production of primaryaluminium metal was 40.73 lakh tonnes in FY22-23, which increased with a growthrate of 2.1 per cent to 41.59 lakh tonnes in FY23-24.