Metallic and Non-Metallic Minerals Sector in India
Posted By Team MCG
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India is endowed with rich mineral deposits and produces 87 minerals, which includes 4 fuel minerals, 10 metallic minerals, 47 non-metallic minerals, 3 atomic minerals and 23 minor minerals. The country is ranked fourth amongst the global mineral producing countries behind China, USA and Russia. According to recent estimates, mining and quarrying sector accounted for 2.3% of the country’s GDP in 2012-13. The sector (excluding fuel, atomic, and minor minerals) provides employment to around 1.15 lakh workers (June 2013).
The unorganized nature of the domestic mining sector coupled with environmental and unauthorized mining issues is hampering investments and technology flows. The Government enacted the National Mineral Policy, 2008(non-fuel and non-coal minerals) that emphasizes on the need for scientific prospecting, state-of-the-art technology, and economic utilization. The Policy also emphasizes on creating conducive environment for investment and technology flows. Several multinational mining companies have evinced interest in investing in India’suntapped mineral sector. Streamlining of the mining sector and increasing demand for minerals are set to drive the expansion of the Indian minerals sector.
The Indian mineral industry comprises both large and small mines run by public and private sector enterprises. Limestone (non-metallic mineral) and iron ore (metallic mineral) together accounted for 80% of the total mineral extraction by volume in the country. As of 2012-13, there were 3,118 metallic and non-metallic minerals mines account spread across the country, of which Andhra Pradesh has the maximum numbers of mines
Minerals: Production of key metallic & non-metallic minerals, 2012-13 (Thousand tonnes)
Public sector accounts for over 65% of the total mineral production. Vedanta resources, Hindustan Copper Ltd., and Hindalco are among the prominent names in the mineral sector. Some of the other noted players include Andhra Pradesh Mineral Development Corp. Ltd, Vedanta Resources, Kudremukh Iron Ore Co. Ltd ., Steel Authority of India Ltd., Hindustan Zinc Ltd., Maharashtra Mineral Corp. Ltd., Bihar State Mineral Development Corp. Ltd and Orissa Mining Corp. Ltd.
India is endowed with rich mineral deposits and produces 87 minerals, which includes 4 fuel minerals, 10 metallic minerals, 47 non-metallic minerals, 3 atomic minerals and 23 minor minerals. The country is ranked fourth amongst the global mineral producing countries behind China, USA and Russia. According to recent estimates, mining and quarrying sector accounted for 2.3% of the country’s GDP in 2012-13. The sector (excluding fuel, atomic, and minor minerals) provides employment to around 1.15 lakh workers (June 2013).
The unorganized nature of the domestic mining sector coupled with environmental and unauthorized mining issues is hampering investments and technology flows. The Government enacted the National Mineral Policy, 2008(non-fuel and non-coal minerals) that emphasizes on the need for scientific prospecting, state-of-the-art technology, and economic utilization. The Policy also emphasizes on creating conducive environment for investment and technology flows. Several multinational mining companies have evinced interest in investing in India’s untapped mineral sector. Streamlining of the mining sector and increasing demand for minerals are set to drive the expansion of the Indian minerals sector.
The Indian mineral industry comprises both large and small mines run by public and private sector enterprises. Limestone (non-metallic mineral) and iron ore (metallic mineral) together accounted for 80% of the total mineral extraction by volume in the country. As of 2012-13, there were 3,118 metallic and non-metallic minerals mines account spread across the country, of which Andhra Pradesh has the maximum numbers of mines
Public sector accounts for over 65% of the total mineral production. Vedanta resources, Hindustan Copper Ltd., and Hindalco are among the prominent names in the mineral sector. Some of the other noted players include Andhra Pradesh Mineral Development Corp. Ltd, Vedanta Resources, Kudremukh Iron Ore Co. Ltd ., Steel Authority of India Ltd., Hindustan Zinc Ltd., Maharashtra Mineral Corp. Ltd., Bihar State Mineral Development Corp. Ltd and Orissa Mining Corp. Ltd.