Nalco and NMDC sign agreement on nickel plant

BHUBANESWAR, Nov. 29. - The National Aluminium Company Limited (Nalco) today signed an agreement with the National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC) for sharing the rights of the Nickel Technology Proving Plant (Ni-TPP). 

The agreement was signed by Mr CR Pradhan, CMD of Nalco, and his counterpart in NMDC, Mr B Ramesh Kumar in New Delhi today. The project for the nickel plant was initially undertaken by the Regional Research Lab, Bhubaneswar. Nalco and NMDC have acquired the right to share the nickel and necessary action will be taken through CSIR for obtaining the Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) in favour of Nalco, CSIR and NMDC. Nickel has a strategically important for the country and the Sukinda Chromite Mines is the only available source of nickel in India. 

The technology for extracting the nickel from low-grade laterite nickel ore viz. COB from Sukinda valley, Orissa has been found technically viable. 

Based on the agreement, Nalco and NMDC will initiate further actions required to examine the feasibility for setting up a suitable plant for producing nickel. Nalco has already obtained two patents - one for process for precipitation of alumina hydrate with superior purity and fineness and other for the preparation of low soda, high alpha thermally reactive alumina. 
Nalco has already applied for eight more patents based on its research and development activities in addition to the International Patent on Zeolite-A through Patent Co-operation Treaty (PCT) route. - SNS

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