India’s mineral and metal output witnessed moderate growth in the first two months of FY26, with key gains in both ferrous and non-ferrous categories. According to data from the Ministry of Mines, iron ore production increased by 0.6 percent year-on-year to 53 million tonne (MT) in April–May, compared to 52.7 MT in the same period last financial year.

For the entire FY25, total iron ore production stood at 289 MT. Manganese ore production rose 1.4 percent to 0.70 MT from 0.69 MT. Bauxite output grew by 0.9 percent to 4.73 MT. Zinc concentrate saw a 3.7 percent increase to 0.29 MT while limestone production reached 81.40 MT, a 1.6 percent uptick.

In the non-ferrous metals segment, primary aluminium production registered a 1.3 percent rise to 7.07 lakh tonne (LT) in April–May, up from 6.98 LT a year ago. Copper output experienced a notable jump of 43.5 percent, reaching 0.99 LT, reflecting increased demand and production ramp-up. The overall uptick underscores continued industrial momentum in core sectors, with base metals playing a crucial role in construction, manufacturing, and energy infrastructure.