An agreement has been signed between the Navratna PSU Nalco and the Chaleico of China for R&D cooperation in the fields of mutual interest. Projects to be undertaken by the two companies include separation of iron concentrate from red mud and extraction of gallium from Bayer liquor.
“Extraction of marketable iron concentrate from red mud will be our first R&D project with Chaleico. This will be a major step in extracting value out of red mud, which is otherwise treated as an industrial waste,” said Nalco CMD Tapan Kumar Chand. “On successful completion of the project, the efforts will be commercialised through a demonstration plant,” he added. The agreement was signed here on Tuesday by Nalco Executive Director (Business Development) Dr BK Satpathy and Chaleico General Manager Guo Pu in the presence of Chand.