India’s mineral production surged in the first half of FY25, led by a robust increase in iron ore output, the Ministry of Mines reported on Friday. The latest data follows record-breaking production levels in FY24.
Iron ore, accounting for roughly 70% of the total Mineral Conservation and Development Rules (MCDR) mineral production by value, reached 274 million metric tonnes (MMT) in FY24. Provisional figures indicate that iron ore production rose from 128 MMT in April-September FY24 to 135 MMT in the same period of FY25, marking a 5.5% increase.
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Manganese ore production also increased by 6.2%, reaching 1.7 MMT, compared to 1.6 MMT during the previous year. In the non-ferrous metals sector, primary aluminium production climbed by 1.2%, from 20.66 lakh tonnes (LT) to 20.90 LT, while refined copper production grew by 4.6%, from 2.39 LT to 2.50 LT.
India ranks as the world’s second-largest aluminium producer, one of the top 10 producers of refined copper, and the fourth-largest iron ore producer globally. The country also holds the third spot in global lime production.
“Growth in iron ore production reflects strong demand from the steel sector,” stated the ministry, noting that increased aluminium and copper output highlights continued economic strength in industries such as energy, infrastructure, construction, automotive, and machinery.
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