CSIR-IMMT Centre of Excellence organises program on Capacity Building in Battery Minerals Value Chain for IOCL officials

By Tapaswini Sahoo

Bhubaneswar, Sep  8 : The CSIR-Institute of Minerals and Materials Technology (CSIR-IMMT), Bhubaneswar, inaugurated a specialized program on “Capacity Building in Battery Minerals Value Chain” for officials of Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) on September 8, 2025. The three-week (September 8-26) intensive program was formally inaugurated by Prof. P. K. Sen, Former Professor, IIT Kharagpur, and Chief Guest in the presence of Shri Goutam Datta, Chief General Manager (HR), BD, IOCL, and was presided over by Dr. Ramanuj Narayan, Director, CSIR-IMMT and Chief Coordinator of the program.

The initiative is designed to strengthen national capacity in the processing of battery minerals such as copper, nickel, cobalt, and lithium, key raw materials in energy storage technologies. Through intensive training modules, the program equips participants with insights into mineral characterization, mineral processing, extractive metallurgy, and environmental and engineering aspects specific to battery minerals.

Expert lectures are being delivered by scientists, industry specialists from India and abroad, academic faculty and policymakers under the newly recognised CSIR-IMMT Centre of Excellence (CoE) established as part of the National Critical Minerals Mission. Participation from CoE Spokes includes experts and faculty from KABIL, IIT Bhubaneswar, KIIT, and SOA University, Bhubaneswar. The course program is coordinated by Dr. Kali Sanjay, Chief Scientist and Head, Business Development, CSIR-IMMT and convenedby Dr. Chinmaya Kumar Sarangi, Senior Principal Scientist, CSIR-IMMT.

CSIR-IMMT brings over six decades of expertise in critical minerals research, technology development, and commercialization. With state-of-the-art infrastructure and pilot-scale facilities, the Institute is uniquely positioned to drive mission-mode programs under the National Critical Minerals Mission. The Institute has successfully demonstrated and transferred several technologies for the recovery of battery metals such as lithium, cobalt, nickel, and copper from both primary and secondary resources. By complementing its R&D programs with structured training initiatives, CSIR-IMMT is strengthening the ecosystem of skilled professionals required to support India’s clean energy transition and industrial self-reliance.

The capacity building initiative is expected to create a pool of trained professionals capable of addressing the technological and operational challenges in the battery minerals value chain. For IOCL officials, this program not only deepens technical knowledge but also fosters practical understanding of mineral-to-metal processes critical for lithium-ion battery manufacturing. By bridging academic expertise with industrial application, the program strengthens IOCL’s readiness for future investments in clean energy technologies and reinforces India’s pursuit of leadership in the global battery ecosystem.