Nalco with an estimated annual installed capacity of 2,30,000 tonne could produce 84,366 tonne of aluminium in April-August 1999 as against 53,730 tonne of aluminium in the corresponding period in the previous year. The aluminium output target of the company in the current period, however, was 87,100 tonne.

In this year in the month of August alone, the company produced 17,646 tonne of aluminium as against the target of 18,700 tonne.

In the period April-August, 1999, the highest production of aluminium is by the private sector, Hindalco at 1,03,647 tonne. With this production, Hindalco has surpassed both the target of 1,01,500 tonne and the output level in the corresponding period in the previous year at 97,034 tonne. The annual installed capacity of Hindalco is higher than that of Nalco being at 2,42,000 tonne.

Balco produced 38,367 tonne of aluminium in April-August 1999 as against 36,869 tonne in the corresponding period in the previous year and as against the current period's target of 39,715 tonne. Indalco produced 17,861 tonne of aluminium in the current period as against 17,269 tonne in the corresponding period in the previous year and as against the current target of 17,915 tonne.

Malco is the only company which could not surpass its production level achieved in the April-August, 1998. In the current period in 1999, Malco produced only 3,122 tonne of aluminium as against 9,679 tonne produced in the corresponding period last year and as against the current target of 6,370 tonne. Malco has a low annual capacity of 25,000 tonne.

However, as all other companies have increased their production over the corresponding period in the previous year, the total aluminium production in April-August 1999 has increased to 2,47,363 tonne from 2,14,581 tonne in the like period last year.

The production of copper cathodes and continues cast copper rod by Hindustan Copper Ltd (HCL) in April-August 1999 has declined. In the current period HCL produced only 14,307 tonne of copper cathodes as against 16,505 tonne in the like period of the previous year and as against the current target of 15,345 tonne. In April-August 1999, HCL produced 12,023 tonne of continues cast copper rods as against 16,615 tonne in the like period previous year and as against the current target of 12,500 tonne.

The cumulative production of zinc and lead in the country has, however, increased. In April-August 1999, the public sector Hindustan Zinc Ltd (HZL) produced 55,664 tonne of zinc as against 52,487 tonne in the like period previous year and as against the current target of 54,450 tonne. Similarly, the private sector, Binani Industries Ltd (BIL) produced 11,916 tonne of zinc in the current period as against 13,725 tonne in the like period last year and as against the current target of 12,500 tonne. The total zinc production by these two companies is 67,580 tonne as against 66,212 tonne in the like period previous year.

In April-August 1999, the lead production by HZL is 14,871 tonne as against 13,669 tonne in the like period last year and as against the current target of 17,600 tonne. In the current period the lead production by the private sector, Indian Lead Ltd (ILL) is, however, lower than the previous year. In April-August 1999 ILL produced only 4,052 tonne of lead as against 4,104 tonne in the like period last year and a against the target of 5,000 tonne in the current period.

The production of gold in April-August 1999 has been only 697.9 kg ass against 827.8 kg in the corresponding period last year and as against the target of 897.35 kg in the current period. In the current period Bharat Gold Mines Ltd (BGML) produced 194.54 kg whilst Hutti Gold Mines Ltd (HGML)produced 503.36 kg.