A 25 per cent increase in the value of natural gas production has helped push up the country's mineral output, which grew only by 12 per cent in 2010-11 over the previous year.

The jump in natural gas output is primarily due to the production in KG-D6 gas fields off the east coast.

The physical output of metallic minerals such as iron ore and bauxite registered a decline of 3 and 4 per cent respectively. However, their value grew by 30 per cent and 10 per cent respectively because of an increase in the price of the commodity.

Excluding atomic minerals, the value of the mineral output for fiscal 2010-11 is estimated to be Rs 2 lakh crore, a 11.83 per cent growth over last year's Rs 1.79 lakh crore, according to Mines Ministry's latest annual report.

Fuel minerals such as coal, lignite, utilised natural gas and crude petroleum accounted for 67 per cent of the mineral value.

Metallic minerals — including iron ore, bauxite, chromite and manganese ore — accounted for 21 per cent of the total mineral value. Non-metallic minerals such as diamond, gypsum, limestone and sand made up the rest.

Coal output for fiscal 2011 is estimated to be 537 million tonnes as against 532 million tonnes in the previous year, whereas production of lignite is projected to be 38 million tonnes (34 million tonnes in the previous year).

Production of natural gas (utilised) is estimated to have grown by about a fourth to 58,982 million cu.m (MCM) as against 47,510 MCM in previous year.

The gas output is estimated to be Rs 18,488 crore (Rs 12,780 crore). Crude petroleum grew by over a tenth to 38 million tonnes (34 million tonnes).

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