NALCO Fly Ash Pilot Plant has begun operations in Bhubaneswar. National Aluminium Company Limited (NALCO) commissioned the indigenous facility to strengthen research in industrial residue valorisation. Critical mineral recovery sits at the core of this effort.
NALCO CMD Brijendra Pratap Singh inaugurated the plant on Tuesday. The facility sits at the company’s Research & Technology Centre (NRTC) in Bhubaneswar. It processes bituminous coal fly ash. It recovers multiple value-added products in the process. These include alumina, calcium silicate and quartz residue. The plant also extracts an iron hydroxide residue enriched with rare earth elements (REE), including scandium.
Inside the NALCO Fly Ash Pilot Plant: Capacity and Design
The plant processes 50 kg of fly ash per day. CSIR-IMMT and KIIT designed and established the facility. NALCO, CSIR and the Ministry of Mines backed the effort. The plant runs on a jointly patented process. CSIR-IMMT and NALCO developed it together. The process enables holistic utilisation of coal fly ash.
A Second Pilot Plant Targets Red Mud
NALCO’s residue-recovery push doesn’t stop at fly ash. The company has started work on a separate pilot plant. This one targets bauxite residue, commonly known as red mud. A ground-breaking ceremony marked the start of this project on the same day.
The red mud facility will focus on three recoveries. Ferro-titanium alloy is one. Metallic iron is another. Rare earth elements round out the list. The goal is straightforward. Increase productive utilisation of bauxite residue.
Why the NALCO Fly Ash Pilot Plant’s REE Recovery Matters Now
Rare earth elements power strategic and high-technology applications. Permanent magnets need them. Electric mobility depends on them. Renewable energy, electronics and defence all rely on REE supply. Recovering these materials from secondary resources brings real benefits. It improves resource efficiency. It supplements primary sources. It creates added value from industrial waste streams.
Building Toward Critical Mineral Security
The fly ash facility will produce REE concentrate in useful quantities. This supports further research. Scientists can now study recovery and separation of mixed rare earth elements more closely. NALCO expects this to enable downstream value-added products. Integrated recovery pathways for critical minerals could follow.
Singh said NALCO is focused on research, innovation and strategic partnerships. The goal: convert industrial residues into valuable resources. He called pilot-scale validation of indigenous technology an important step. It moves NALCO closer to commercially viable solutions. These solutions target resource efficiency, critical mineral security and the circular economy.
