THEBUSINESSBYTES
BUREAU
BHUBANESWAR,
JANUARY 19, 2026
In a significant step towards
strengthening India’s critical minerals security and supporting the
fast-growing green technology sector, the CSIR–Institute of Minerals and
Materials Technology (CSIR-IMMT) has entered into a strategic research and development
collaboration with Hindustan Copper Limited (HCL) for the recovery of copper,
Rare Earth Elements (REEs) and trace critical minerals from copper industry
resources.
The collaborative project was formally
launched at the HCL Corporate Office in Kolkata with the exchange of signed
agreements between the two organisations. The launch event was presided over by
Sanjiv Kumar Singh, Chairman and Managing Director, HCL, along with RVN
Vishweshwar, Director (Finance), and Sanjeev Kumar Sinha, Director (Operations).
CSIR-IMMT was represented by its Director, Dr Ramanuj Narayan. The programme
was coordinated by Binod Gupta, Executive Director (Mining), HCL, and Dr Kali
Sanjay, Chief Scientist and Head, Business Development and CSIR-IMMT Centre of
Excellence.
The partnership comes at a time when
the rapid expansion of electric vehicles, renewable energy systems such as wind
turbines, and advanced electronics is driving unprecedented demand for both
commercial minerals like copper and critical minerals including rare earth
elements. With global supply chains for these materials remaining highly
concentrated, the recovery of critical minerals from domestic copper ores,
concentrates and tailings is seen as a strategic opportunity to reduce import
dependence and enhance resource security.
Hindustan Copper Limited, a Miniratna
public sector undertaking under the Ministry of Mines, is actively engaged in
the mining, beneficiation, production and marketing of copper and related
products. The company is currently focused on mining and beneficiation of
copper ore and the sale of copper concentrate, while also exploring value-added
opportunities aligned with national priorities.
CSIR-IMMT, Bhubaneswar, is India’s
premier research institution in mineral processing, extractive metallurgy,
materials development and critical minerals recovery. It hosts the Centre of
Excellence on Critical Minerals under the National Centre for Minerals and
Materials (NCMM), a national platform that brings together academia, R&D
laboratories and industry to develop indigenous technologies and pilot-scale
solutions for securing India’s critical mineral value chains. HCL plays a key
role as an industrial partner in this Centre of Excellence, ensuring
industry-driven and application-oriented research.
Under the new initiative, CSIR-IMMT
will undertake detailed characterisation studies of copper ores, concentrates
and tailings, and develop feasibility pathways for the extraction of copper,
rare earth elements and associated trace critical minerals. The project aims to
generate scientific insights into mineral occurrence, assess techno-economic
viability of recovery, and prepare a clear roadmap for process development at
the pilot scale.
