Navratna NALCO collaborates with research institutes for industrial residue valorisation
Sets up indigenous pilot plant to recover valuable products and rare earth elements from fly ash
By Sukanta Kumar Mohanty
Bhubaneswar: Central Navratna PSU National Aluminium Company Limited (NALCO) has strengthened its R&D initiatives through strategic collaborations with premier research institutions to advance industrial residue valorisation and critical mineral recovery.
NALCO CMD Brijendra Pratap Singh inaugurated an indigenous pilot plant at the NALCO Research & Technology Centre (NRTC), Bhubaneswar, to process bituminous coal fly ash. Designed and established by CSIR-IMMT and KIIT with support from NALCO, CSIR, and the Union Ministry of Mines, the 50-kg-per-day facility relies on a jointly patented process for holistic fly ash utilization.
The process extracts alumina, calcium silicate for ceramics, quartz residue for glassmaking, and iron hydroxide residue enriched in rare earth elements (REE), including scandium. Key attendees included Jagdish Arora, Director (Projects & Technical); Dr. Tapas Kumar Pattanayak, Director (HR); Anil Kumar Singh, Director (Commercial); Dr. Ramanuj Narayan, Director, CSIR-IMMT; and Prof. Jnyana Ranjan Mohanty, Registrar, KIIT.
Additionally, a ground-breaking ceremony was conducted for a bauxite residue (red mud) valorisation pilot plant focused on extracting ferro-titanium alloy, metallic iron, and REEs. These critical minerals support strategic sectors such as permanent magnets, electric mobility, renewable energy, electronics, and defence. The fly ash plant will also yield REE concentrate to drive further research into mixed REE separation and high-value downstream applications.
Highlighting NALCO’s commitment to innovation and circular economy goals, Singh stated that pilot-scale validation of indigenous technologies serves as a vital step toward strengthening resource efficiency and national critical mineral security.
Photo Caption: NALCO CMD Brijendra Pratap Singh (far right) launches the indigenous fly ash processing pilot plant for extracting rare earth elements and value-added materials at NRTC, Bhubaneswar.
