The Business Bytes
New Delhi & Jharsuguda, July 24, 2024 (TBB Bureau): Vedanta Aluminium, India’s largest aluminium producer, has joined forces with NITI Aayog and leading national institutions to explore sustainable applications for red mud, a significant byproduct of the bauxite refining process used in aluminium production. This high-level stakeholder meeting convened experts to identify pathways for effectively utilizing this byproduct and advancing the country’s self-reliance in critical minerals.
The event brought together scientists and subject matter experts from prestigious institutions, including the National Metallurgical Laboratory (NML), the Institute of Minerals and Materials Technology (IMMT) under the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research, and the Jawaharlal Nehru Aluminium Research Development & Design Centre (JNARDDC), Nagpur. These experts participated in the 8th joint meeting of the monitoring and steering committee for the project titled Technology Development for Holistic Utilization of Red Mud for Extraction of Metallic Values & Residue Utilization.
Bauxite, the primary ore for aluminium, undergoes an intermediate refining stage called the Bayer process to produce alumina, which is then electrolyzed to create aluminium. This process generates bauxite residue, commonly known as red mud. The day-long session focused on the effective utilization of red mud through research, development, and commercialization efforts across various industries. As the testing phase of this collaborative project nears a successful conclusion, discussions also revolved around the latest findings, scale-up plans, strategic roadmap, and the commercial viability of the project.
In its endeavour to advance India’s self-reliance in rare earth oxides (REOs), NITI Aayog has identified several secondary resources for rare earth extraction, with red mud emerging as a highly promising source of scandium. Scandium is notably more enriched in red mud than in native bauxite. Vedanta Aluminium has been working closely with government bodies, academia, and industry to develop technological solutions for the comprehensive utilization of red mud, including as a domestic resource for extracting scandium.
Project participants have successfully developed an effective and economically viable technique to extract pig iron, alumina, titania, and rare earth oxides from a sample size of 10 kg. The focus now shifts to commercially scaling up the process and demonstrating its economic viability on larger quantities. This project exemplifies the potential of collaboration between public research organizations and private enterprises.
Vedanta Aluminium CEO, John Slaven, shared his views on the initiative, stating, “Critical minerals are pivotal to the global energy transition, which will, in turn, contribute significantly to a sustainable future for our planet. As we build on our expertise as India’s leading producer of natural resources to also become a leader in critical minerals, technology, and renewable energy, we are committed to partnering with both public research organizations and industry peers to identify avenues for collaboration and innovation. This initiative comes as a robust example of our efforts to identify circular economy avenues that contribute to responsible business practices within the mining, metals, and manufacturing sectors.”
Scandium is critical for creating advanced aluminium alloys widely used in the defense, aerospace, maritime, and automotive sectors. India currently lacks primary sources of these minerals, making the harnessing of secondary resources crucial. By spearheading this innovation, Vedanta Aluminium is driving India toward self-sufficiency.
NITI Aayog Member, Dr. R Saravanabhavan, lauded Vedanta’s contribution to the project’s success, saying, “Odisha accounts for about 50 per cent of bauxite reserves in India, hence, the development of red mud’s effective handling, storage, usage, and management is necessary for the advancement of the aluminium industry. I commend Vedanta and all collaborating partners for their collective efforts in researching the comprehensive use of red mud to extract value from it. This endeavor promises to be a significant breakthrough in research and innovation, poised to greatly benefit primary aluminium companies worldwide.”
This initiative marks a significant step towards sustainable development and resource efficiency, positioning India as a global leader in the innovative utilization of industrial byproducts.
