Singareni, CSIR-IMMT sign pact on exploration of rare minerals from mining waste

HYDERABAD

The Singareni Collieries Company Ltd (SCCL) on Tuesday signed an agreement with the CSIR-Institute of Minerals and Materials Technology (IMMT) for a joint exploration and extraction of valuable and rare earth minerals from the overburden and other mining waste generated by the coal company as part of its coal mining activity.

Chairman and Managing Director of SCCL N. Balram stated that the joint effort would be a major step forward both in the exploration of rare earth minerals and the country’s self-reliance. Director of IMMT Ramanuj Narayan said they would explore the rare minerals in the mining waste of Singareni with the help of indigenous technology.

As part of the agreement, the two entities would explore for rare earth minerals and other valuable minerals in the shale, soil, sandstone, granite, fly ash, bottom ash and other waste generated by Singareni’s activities. The agreement was signed by Chief Scientist and Hydro & Electro Metallurgy Head Kali Sanjay on behalf of IMMT and Director (Planning & Projects) K. Venkateshwarlu on behalf of SCCL.

In June this year, the SCCL and IMMT came to a preliminary understanding on mutual cooperation for the exploration of rare minerals and the fresh agreement would pave the way for going ahead in that direction, Mr. Balram said. He stated that the presence of rare minerals was already found in the opencast mining areas, overburden and fly ash and bottom ash generated by the Singareni Thermal Power Project (STPP).

The Geological Survey of India had also found some rare earth minerals in the sample of soil collected from the Durgamgutta hillocks block near Manuguru. Mr. Balram explained that the presence of about 14 light and heavy rare earth minerals was found in the Singareni mining areas, including lanthanum, cerium, praseodymium, yttrium, scandium, dysprosium and others.

He stated that they required further examination, analysis and feasibility for taking up their exploration (extraction/production) by the IMMT. The IMMT Director said their main objective was extracting critical minerals from the industrial wastes with the help of indigenous technologies. It would also be a step in the direction of the country achieving self-reliance in the matter of rare and critical earth minerals.

Executive Director of STPP Chiranjeevi, General Managers T. Srinivas (Coordination), B. Srinivas (Exploration) and Ch. Srinivas were present on the occasion.