CSIR-CRRI, AMNS India Partner to Turn Mine Waste into Green Roads

Dr. N. Kalaiselvi, Director General of CSIR and Secretary of DSIR, stressed that the initiative could transform mining waste into valuable infrastructure resources.

India’s premier road research institute CSIR–Central Road Research Institute (CRRI) has signed a research and development pact with ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel India (AMNS India) to explore the use of iron ore tailings in road construction, marking a significant step toward circular economy-driven infrastructure.

The agreement was announced during National Science Day celebrations at CSIR-CRRI, highlighting the growing focus on converting industrial waste into sustainable construction materials.

Converting Mine Waste into Sustainable Road Infrastructure

The collaboration aims to address the challenge of managing iron ore tailings while reducing the need for natural aggregates used in road building.

Dr. N. Kalaiselvi, Director General of CSIR and Secretary of DSIR, stressed that the initiative could transform mining waste into valuable infrastructure resources.

She noted that India generates around 18–20 million tonnes of iron ore tailings annually from beneficiation plants located mainly in Odisha, Chhattisgarh and Karnataka.

“These tailings, commonly stored in large dams as slimes, pose environmental and economic challenges due to their enormous volumes,” she said.

The research project seeks to demonstrate how these waste materials can be repurposed to create green and sustainable road infrastructure.

Scientific Research to Validate Tailings for Road Construction

Under the agreement, researchers from CSIR-CRRI will conduct extensive scientific investigations to assess the suitability of iron ore tailings for use in road construction.

Key research activities will include:

• Laboratory investigations and material characterization

• Pavement design and structural performance studies

• Evaluation of tailings for use in different pavement layers

The goal is to determine whether iron ore tailings can effectively substitute natural aggregates and good earth, which are widely used in road construction.

Industry–Research Collaboration for Green Infrastructure

The event was attended by Dr. Arvind Bodhankar, Chief Sustainability Officer of AMNS India, who highlighted the importance of collaboration between industry and research institutions.

He said such partnerships are essential to advance circular economy practices and sustainable infrastructure development.

According to Bodhankar, the collaboration with CSIR-CRRI could help unlock the potential of industrial by-products for nation-building and environmentally responsible development, aligning with global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Building on India’s Steel Slag Road Technology

Welcoming the collaboration, Dr. Ch. Ravi Sekhar, Director of CSIR-CRRI, said the institute remains committed to developing next-generation sustainable road technologies.

He noted that the new research builds on CRRI’s earlier pioneering work in steel slag road technology, which successfully demonstrated the use of steel industry waste in road construction.

The new initiative will provide scientific validation and potential field demonstrations of iron ore tailings as an alternative road construction material.

Research Led by Steel Slag Road Technology Pioneer

The project is being led by Satish Pandey, Head of the Flexible Pavement Division at CSIR-CRRI and the inventor of Steel Slag Road Technology.

Pandey said the research programme will focus on systematic laboratory characterization and valorisation of iron ore tailings to establish them as viable construction materials.

If successful, the innovation could significantly reduce the environmental burden of mining waste while lowering the consumption of natural construction resources.

CRRI Showcases Breakthrough Sustainable Road Technologies

The National Science Day event also showcased several other cutting-edge technologies developed by CSIR-CRRI to promote sustainable transportation infrastructure.

These include:

• Agri-waste based bio-bitumen

• ECOFIX, a steel slag-based rapid pothole repair technology

• TERASURFACING, a thin surfacing technology using slag and fly ash

• Waste plastic-based modular geocells for road construction

Officials said these innovations reflect the growing importance of circular economy solutions in India’s infrastructure development.

Scientists, Industry Leaders Attend the Event

The event was attended by senior officials from both industry and research institutions, including:

• Gautam Banerjee, Section Head Raw Materials and By-Products, AMNS India

• Dr. Vinod Karar, Head PME, CSIR-CRRI

• Dr. K. Ravinder, Head ILT, CSIR-CRRI

Policymakers, industry representatives and researchers from the road and steel sectors also participated, highlighting the growing role of science-driven solutions in building sustainable infrastructure in India.