The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research – Institute of Minerals and Materials Technology (CSIR-IMMT) hosted the Red Mud Report release meet in Bhubaneswar, marking the successful completion of a landmark national project—Technology Development for Holistic Utilisation of Red Mud.
Dr. V.K. Saraswat, hon’ble member of NITI Aayog and mentor of the project, officially unveiled the comprehensive Red Mud Report, which captures the outcomes, technological advances, and industrial deployment potential of this initiative.
National Collaboration to Unlock Red Mud Potential
The project was a collaborative effort between:
*CSIR-IMMT (Bhubaneswar)
*CSIR-National Metallurgical Laboratory (CSIR-NML), Jamshedpur – the coordinating laboratory
*Jawaharlal Nehru Aluminium Research Development and Design Centre (JNARDDC), Nagpur
It was supported by major industry partners:
*Hindalco Industries Limited
*Vedanta Limited
*National Aluminium Company Limited (NALCO)
Together, they focused on creating integrated process flowsheets to extract valuable metals like iron, alumina, titania, and rare earth elements (REEs) from red mud—a major industrial by-product of alumina production.
Report Highlights Scalable Technologies
The newly released report outlines technological breakthroughs and demonstrates the feasibility of scaling up red mud utilization processes for industrial applications. The success of this project lays a strong foundation for advancing India’s self-reliance in critical mineral resources.
Distinguished Attendees Reflect Broad Support
The event saw the participation of several high-profile dignitaries and stakeholders from the government, research institutions, and industries. Key attendees included:
*Dr. Ramanuj Narayan, Director, CSIR-IMMT
*Shri B.P. Singh, CMD, NALCO
*Shri Ishtiyaque Ahmed, IRS, Senior Adviser, NITI Aayog
*N. Balram, IRS, CMD, Singareni Collieries Company
*Saurabh Khedekar, CEO – Alumina Business, Hindalco
*Dr. Vilas Tathavadkar, CTO, Hindalco & Joint President, ABSTC
*Sangita Sadafule, Dy. CEO – Alumina Business, Vedanta
*Dr. S. Ghosh Chowdhury, Director, CSIR-NML
*J. Arora, Director (P&T), NALCO
*R. Saravanabhavan, Dy. Adviser, NITI Aayog
*Dr. D. Bandyopadhyay, CSIR DG Nominee
Their presence emphasized strong multi-stakeholder support for enhancing India’s critical mineral capabilities.
Strategic MoUs to Boost Collaborative Research
To further strengthen industry-academia partnerships, CSIR-IMMT signed a series of Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs), coordinated by Dr. Kail Sanjay, Head of Business Development, with the following organizations:
*NALCO
*Hindalco Industries Limited
*Singareni Collieries Company Limited
*IIT Bhubaneswar
*S. N. Bose National Centre for Basic Sciences
*Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW)
These MoUs will drive joint research, technology development, infrastructure sharing, and capacity building in the critical minerals sector.
Transforming Red Mud from Waste to Resource
Dr. V.K. Saraswat emphasized the growing importance of rare earth elements (REEs)—vital for electric vehicles, wind power, electronics, and defense technologies. He praised the project for delivering homegrown technological solutions that can reduce India’s dependence on imports.
Dr. Saraswat further noted, “Red mud, often viewed as a waste product, can become a valuable resource for critical metals. If we successfully scale up these technologies, we can transform industrial waste into national wealth.”
Driving Resource Security Through Innovation
The Red Mud Report release meet represents a significant step in India’s pursuit of resource security, circular economy, and critical minerals self-sufficiency. By combining research excellence and industry engagement, CSIR-IMMT and its partners are paving the way for sustainable, indigenous solutions in resource recovery and climate-resilient technologies.
