Nagpur-based Jawaharlal Nehru Aluminium Research Development and Design Centre (JNARDDC) is going to set up the India’s first Gallium extraction plant for Research and Development (R&D) in city to support the future demands of Rare Earth Elements (REEs) in aerospace and defence sectors. Gallium (Ga) is a critical metal, often grouped with REEs due to supply risk, essential for high-performance semiconductors, LEDs, and 5G technology. Predominantly produced in China Gallium is sourced mainly from bauxite processing. Similar to REEs, Gallium faces high supply chain concentration and requires advanced, sustainable recovery methods. Keeping the challenge in mind, JNARDDC is going to start the first pilot plant of Gallium in city by the year end.

 

“The process is underway to extract Ga from bauxite and the production will start in the next six months,” said Dr Anupam Agnihotri, Director, JNARDDC to The Hitavada. “The R&D plant will be established with the help of Ukrainian technology which is first in the country. For this project, Ministry of Mines issued a fund of Rs 3 crore to us,” said Dr Agnihotri. “A 1,000-litre (1 kl) pilot-cum-demonstration plant for processing Bayer liquor will be established and this facility is designed for the extraction and recovery of high-purity (4N) Gallium from recycled solutions, specifically aimed at strengthening indigenous critical mineral capabilities under the National Critical Mineral Mission (NCMM),” informed the Director.

 

JNARDDC received a fund of Rs 7 crore for extraction of Tantalum (Ta), Niobium (Nb), Nickel (Ni) and Phosphorus (P) from different wastes. “These minerals have strategically important for our country. Extraction of such minerals from different waste will help in different sectors like aero-space, defence, electric vehicles, semiconductors etc.,” said Dr Upendra Singh, Principal Scientist, JNARDDC. “We are working to extract Tantalum and Niobium from tin sludge which is a by-product of Tin ore. Chhattisgarh has tin mines and we are working to extract these REEs from the waste of tin ore,” claimed Dr Singh. Dr Singh also mentioned that JNARDDC is working to extract Phosphorus from cement and Nickel from Electric Arc Furnace dust, a fine-particle byproduct generated during steel recycling.