NMDC, IIT-Hyderabad Forge Pact to Boost Mining Technology

The partnership comes at a milestone moment as NMDC’s R&D Centre marks 50 years of contribution to India’s mineral growth story, reinforcing its legacy of research excellence and technology development.

In a major push to accelerate indigenous innovation in India’s mineral and metals sector, NMDC’s R&D Centre has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad (IITH), marking a strategic industry–academia collaboration aimed at reshaping the future of mining and mineral processing.

The MoU was signed by Shri Sanjeev Sahi, Executive Director (R&D), NMDC, and the Dean (Sponsored Research & Consultancy), IIT Hyderabad, in the presence of Prof. B. S. Murty, Director, IITH.

The partnership comes at a milestone moment as NMDC’s R&D Centre marks 50 years of contribution to India’s mineral growth story, reinforcing its legacy of research excellence and technology development.

Driving Indigenous Technology in Core Mining Areas

The collaboration will focus on strengthening domestic capabilities across critical segments of the mineral value chain, including:

• Iron ore beneficiation and agglomeration

• Green steelmaking technologies

• Alternate ironmaking using indigenous raw materials

• Advanced modelling and simulation of mining and metallurgical processes

By combining NMDC’s operational expertise with IIT Hyderabad’s research capabilities, the initiative aims to reduce import dependency, improve process efficiency, and develop cost-effective technologies tailored to Indian geological conditions.

Focus on Critical and Rare Earth Minerals

A key dimension of the partnership is research into extraction of critical and rare earth minerals from both primary and secondary sources. With global supply chains facing geopolitical and sustainability pressures, critical minerals are central to sectors such as renewable energy, electronics, electric mobility, and defence manufacturing.

The collaboration seeks to enhance India’s mineral security and resource resilience by developing scalable, indigenous extraction and processing solutions.

Mining 4.0 and Digital Transformation

Aligned with the rapid digital transformation of the mining industry, the MoU outlines joint research and pilot initiatives in:

• Autonomous vehicle movement in mining operations

• Artificial Intelligence-driven optimisation

• Internet of Things (IoT) integration

• Mining 4.0 frameworks

• Drone-enabled surveying and monitoring

These initiatives aim to modernise mine planning, improve safety standards, optimise logistics, and reduce environmental impact — positioning India’s mining ecosystem for next-generation operations.

Innovation for Sustainable Growth

Shri Amitava Mukherjee, Chairman-cum-Managing Director, NMDC, described the agreement as a strategic step toward innovation-led growth.

“The MoU with IIT Hyderabad strengthens NMDC’s commitment to innovation through industry–academia collaboration. By leveraging IIT Hyderabad’s research excellence and NMDC’s domain expertise, this partnership will advance indigenous technologies in mining, mineral processing, and emerging areas, contributing to sustainable development and the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat,” he said.

The collaboration reflects a broader national push to integrate research institutions with core industrial sectors to accelerate technology translation, commercial deployment, and long-term competitiveness.

A Landmark Moment for NMDC’s R&D Legacy

As NMDC’s R&D Centre celebrates its 50th anniversary, the partnership signals a renewed commitment to technology-driven expansion. Over the decades, the Centre has played a pivotal role in process optimisation, mineral beneficiation research, and metallurgical innovation.

With India’s steel demand projected to rise sharply in line with infrastructure expansion and manufacturing growth, the NMDC–IIT Hyderabad partnership positions the country to meet future demand through sustainable, efficient and indigenous technological solutions.

Together, NMDC and IIT Hyderabad aim to transform research into impactful industrial applications — advancing mineral self-reliance and strengthening the foundation of Atmanirbhar Bharat.