Vedanta Aluminium and NITI Aayog hold session on red mud utilization

India’s aluminium producer, Vedanta Aluminium, in collaboration with NITI Aayog and national institutions, recently hosted a stakeholder meeting to explore sustainable applications for red mud, a byproduct of the bauxite refining process for aluminium production.

Participants included experts from NITI Aayog, Vedanta, National Metallurgical Laboratory (NML), the Institute of Minerals and Materials Technology (IMMT) under the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research, and Jawaharlal Nehru Aluminium Research Development & Design Centre (JNARDDC), Nagpur.

The session focused on the effective utilization of red mud through research, development, and commercialization efforts in various industries. Discussions focused on the latest findings, scale-up plans, and commercial viability as the project nears the end of its testing phase. The project highlights the potential benefits of closer collaboration between public research organizations and private enterprises.

The meeting was part of the 8th joint session of the monitoring and steering committee for the project “Technology Development for Holistic Utilization of Red Mud for Extraction of Metallic Values & Residue Utilization.”

Bauxite, the primary ore for aluminium, is refined through the Bayer process to produce alumina, which is then electrolyzed to produce aluminium. This refining stage generates a byproduct known as red mud.

To enhance India’s self-reliance in rare earth oxides (REOs), NITI Aayog has highlighted red mud as a promising source of scandium, which is more enriched in red mud than in native bauxite. Vedanta Aluminium has been collaborating with government, academia, and industry to develop technological solutions for utilizing red mud, including as a resource for extracting scandium. The project has developed a technique to extract pig iron, alumina, titania, and rare earth oxides from a 10 kg sample size, with plans to scale up the process and assess its economic viability on larger scales.

Scandium is essential for advanced aluminium alloys used in defense, aerospace, maritime, and automotive sectors. India lacks primary sources of these minerals, but by utilizing secondary resources, Vedanta Aluminium aims to drive innovation and advance India’s self-sufficiency.

Sharing his views on the initiative, Mr. John Slaven, CEO, Vedanta Aluminium, said, “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.”

Speaking on Vedanta’s contribution to the success of the project, Dr. R. Saravanabhavan, Member, NITI Aayog, said, “Odisha accounts for about 50% 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 endeavour promises to be a significant breakthrough in research and innovation, poised to greatly benefit primary aluminium companies worldwide.”

Vedanta Aluminium, a division of Vedanta Limited, is India’s largest aluminium producer, manufacturing 2.37 million tonnes in FY24, and a leader in value-added aluminium products. The company ranks first in the S&P Global Corporate Sustainability Assessment 2023 for the aluminium industry. It operates aluminium smelters, an alumina refinery, and power plants in India.