India’s largest iron ore producer National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC) has set up a new research and development (R&D) centre in Patancheru, on the outskirts of Hyderabad, to advance innovation in mineral processing and sustainable steel technology.
The new R&D centre, spread over eight acres, has been established with an investment of ₹50 crore. The facility boasts of an array of sophisticated instruments, including an automated mineral analyser and automated fusion bead-based X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analyser that will facilitate precise and efficient characterisation of various minerals.
It features a dedicated facility for pelletization studies, which will generate crucial data for the installation of commercial pellet plants. This will not only enhance NMDC’s in-house requirements and capabilities but will also benefit the sector by providing valuable insights into mineral processing and pellet production, the company said in a release of inauguration of the new R&D centre by CMD (additional charge) Amitava Mukherjee on Tuesday. Director (Production) Dilip Kumar Mohanty, Director (Technical) Vinay Kumar, CVO B.Vishwanath and other senior officials participated in the programme.
One of the features of the centre is the hydrogen reduction facility, integrated with a microwave-assisted heating furnace. This setup is expected to play a vital role in the development of green steel-making technologies.
NMDC, which over the past five years has invested ₹150 crore on R&D, had its facility hitherto in Habsiguda. Its R&D facility has been recognised as a centre of excellence by both UNIDO and DSIR for knowledge and technology transfer to the domestic and global industry.
“Embracing our responsibility to innovate and lead the Indian mining industry towards a sustainable future through research and development, we open the doors to NMDC’s new state-of-the-art R&D centre. As we stride forward to innovate and inspire, we are not just investing in research here, we are investing in India’s future,” Mr. Mukherjee said.
The new centre will serve as a hub for collaboration with leading academic institutions and industry experts.
