India’s production of aluminium, copper, zinc and lead fell in Dec 2019, according to a report published by Ministry of Mines. Production of the four metals also declined in April-Dec 2019, from the prior-year period.
Aluminium
Nalco produced 33,022mt of aluminium in Dec 2019, from 36,577mt in Dec 2018. The company’s production in April-Dec 19 was at 310,000mt, down from 328,000mt in the prior-year period.
Nalco’s aluminium output fell as incessant rains in Jul-Sep 2019 made bauxite handling difficult, according to the mining ministry. Other reasons for production decline included diversion of manpower for general election in April 2019 and production regulations levied by the court. The company also shut 123 pots in Sept-Oct 2019 on a shortage of coal.
In Apr-Dec 2019, Balco and Vedanta’s aluminium production fell from 0.43mn mt to 0.41mn mt and 1.49mn mt to1.13mn mt, respectively, from the prior year. Hindalco’s aluminum production rose to 0.98mn mt from 0.97mn mt prior year.
Mining ministry estimated aluminium production deficit of 0.04 mn mt in the Jan-March quarter as against 0.42 mn mt in Oct-Dec quarter. The global production of aluminium was 16.12mn mt in the Oct-Dec quarter against consumption of 16.54mn mt in the same period.
Copper
India’s production of copper ore fell to 0.34mn mt in Dec 2019 from 0.35mn mt in the prior year.
In Dec 2019, Hindustan Copper, Hindalco and Sesa Sterlite collectively produced 41,355mt of copper cathodes in Dec 2019, up from 46,273mt in Dec 2018. Hindustan Copper produced 695mt of copper cathodes, 1,044mt of CC copper wire rods against the target production of 1,917mt and 1,722mt, respectively, in Dec 2019.
India produced 0.30mn mt of copper cathodes in Apr-Dec 2019, from 0.57mn mt in the prior-year period.
Copper production in India has declined after permanent closure order issued by Vedanta smelter refinery plant by Tamil Nadu government in May 2018.
Zinc and Lead
Zinc production by Hindustan Zinc dropped to 0.51mn mt in Apr-Dec 2019 from 0.52mn mt in the prior-year period. Lead by the company also fell to 0.13mn mt, from 0.14mn mt in Apr-Dec 2018.