NMDC partners with IIT Hyderabad to boost indigenous mining technologies

In a significant move to strengthen India’s mineral and metals sector, the R&D Centre of NMDC (National Mineral Development Corporation), Responsible Miner, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad (IITH). The agreement was signed by Shri Sanjeev Sahi, ED (R&D), NMDC, and the Dean (Sponsored Research & Consultancy), IIT Hyderabad, in the presence of Prof. B. S. Murty, Director, IIT Hyderabad.

The partnership aims to advance indigenous technologies in mineral processing and allied areas, combining NMDC’s field expertise with IIT Hyderabad’s academic excellence. Under this collaboration, research will focus on iron ore beneficiation and agglomeration, green steelmaking technologies, alternate ironmaking using indigenous raw materials, and advanced modeling and simulation of mining and metallurgical processes. In particular, green steelmaking efforts are expected to explore Hydrogen-based Direct Reduced Iron (H-DRI) , a low-carbon steelmaking method. Scaling up H-DRI at NMDC sites will require a combination of renewable-powered hydrogen production (via electrolysis), partnerships with green hydrogen suppliers, and phased technology adoption to meet large hydrogen requirements.

The MoU is also designed to replace imported mining and mineral processing technologies , particularly in areas critical to iron ore and steelmaking, automation, and rare-earth extraction, where imports from countries like Australia, Sweden, and Canada are expensive. Indigenous alternatives are expected to enhance self-reliance and reduce costs while strengthening India’s mineral security. Efforts will also be directed toward the extraction of critical and rare earth minerals from both primary and secondary sources.

Aligned with the sector’s digital transformation, the MoU will also drive initiatives in autonomous vehicle movement, Artificial Intelligence, Internet of Things (IoT), Mining 4.0 frameworks, and drone-enabled surveying and monitoring. The collaboration seeks to deliver sustainable, technology-driven solutions to improve efficiency, productivity, and environmental stewardship across India’s evolving mining landscape.

On the occasion, Shri Amitava Mukherjee, Chairman-cum-Managing Director of NMDC, said, “This MoU strengthens NMDC’s commitment to innovation through industry–academia collaboration. Leveraging IIT Hyderabad’s research excellence and NMDC’s domain expertise, we aim to advance indigenous technologies in mining and mineral processing, contributing to sustainable development and the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat.”

The partnership comes at a landmark moment as NMDC’s R&D Centre celebrates 50 years of dedicated service to India’s mineral sector, reaffirming its legacy of research excellence and technological advancement.