“Work with the R&D to bring a radical change in the mining Industry and bring new technologies for development”
‘One Week One Lab’ (OWOL) program-Day two Theme: Mineral, Coal, Critical Mineral REE/PGE
Bhubaneswar: CSIR – Institute of Minerals and Materials Technology (CSIR-IMMT), Bhubaneswar, is celebrating the ‘One Week One Lab’ (OWOL) program from 11th September to 16th September, 2023, to showcase its achievements to the industries and the common public. The primary intention of this programme is to strengthen the R&D-industry-academia tie-up and enhance CSIR-IMMT’s reach to various stakeholders, i.e. industries and society. Under this programme, the institute, which has also observed its Diamond Jubilee this year, has devoted its Day 2 i.e. September 12, 2023, to the theme, Mineral, Coal, Critical Minerals, Rare Earth Elements and Platinum Group of Elements, which are of immense importance to country’s industrial growth and economy and employment drive.
Mr. S.S. Mohanty, CEO and MD, Essar Minmet Ltd. and Mr. G. Suresha, ED, Odisha Asset, Arcelor Mittal Nippon Steel India Ltd., has graced the occasion as the Chief Guest and the Guest of Honour, respectively. Mr. S.S. Mohanty, spoke on the importance of the role of minerals in industry, technology and infrastructure, and the supply chain vulnerabilities of the critical minerals, Elaborating on the topic, he talked about the power of coal, the global rare earth minerals production and the dominance of China in this field. He also mentioned the environmental and geo-political challenges in transitioning to Green, encompassing the mining challenges of Platinum Group Elements. He aims to work with the R&D to bring a radical change in the mining Industry and bring new technologies for development. Mr. Suresha expressed his gratitude for being a part of this programme and shed light on the importance of sustainable mining. Speaking on the occasion, Mr Suresha said, “We look forward to work upon the ideas of carbon foot front reduction, carbon capture and work upon sewerage. We shall take help from the R&D (IMMT) to expand our work in extracting iron value. Collaborating with CSIR, we look forward to implement these ideas after inventing new technology in this field along with the steel segment”.
About 125 delegates, mainly from Indian Mineral Industries, R&D, Government policy-making agencies, start-ups, MSMEs, and academia were invited to attend this grand event and they discussed about the present scenario of the mineral industry in India and the World. This program was conducted under the Chairmanship of Dr. Prabhas Chandra Beuria, Chief Scientist and under the able guidance of Dr. Ramanuj Narayan, Director, CSIR-IMMT, focusing on the importance of mineral sector focussing on different ferrous and non- ferrous ore, utilisation of high ash Indian coal, critical minerals, REE/PGE minerals, in the development of India and Odisha in particular. A panel discussion among experts from various industries, R&D, academia, policy makers, start-ups and MSMEs will be organised to discuss on the “Decarbonisation of Steel and aluminium Industries in India in the coming years towards achieving Net Zero Emission by 2070 wherein the issues and possible solutions was discussed upon. On this occasion, CSIR-IMMT arranged a technology demonstration and pilot plant visited for the above participating delegates, who discussed with the institute scientists and suggested a tie-up with the institute to solve issues which the mineral industries are facing today.
