Non-Ferrous Metal Industry in India

Abstract

STEADY growth of Indian non-ferrous metal industry is of vital importance to our national economy. With the exce-ption of bauxite, magnesite, ilmenite and manganese ore, indigenous ore reserves of other_non-ferrous metals are either highly deficient, such as of copper, lead & zinc or almost non-existent, such as of nickel, cobalt, moly-bdenum, tungsten, etc. Resources of aluminium are one of India's richest assets. Demand for aluminium metal in India steadily rose from 15,000 tons in 1951 to 45,000 tons in 1960 and by 1965-66 our requirements are expected to be of the order of 115,00 tons. During the Second Five Year Plan, aluminium production capacity was stepped up from 7,500 tons in 1955-56 to about 18,100 tons in 1960-61. During the Third Five Year Plan, further capacity for aluminium production has been envisaged ; total licensed annual capacity of aluminium production today is 142,500 tons while the production target of aluminium has been stepped up to 160,120 tons by 1965-1966.