This is yet another record performance year for IMMT. It is perhaps best to begin by noting that for the first time the ECF touched the elusive 10 crores figure. We published 115 papers; 21 patents have been sealed and 8 patents were filed this year. Two process flow sheets were transferred to the industry. While these indicators strengthen the credibility of the institute particularly with the industry, it also enjoins on us to think of next generation innovations. Therefore we would like to stabilize here and focus on delivering key R&D outputs in challenging areas. I am grateful to the scientists and staff of IMMT for their commitment to fulfill the mandate of the laboratory through their scientific and research efforts.

Much seems to have gone right in our approach towards R&D in mineral processing area. We claimed, based on our strength, a network project on “Development of advanced eco-friendly energy efficient processes for utilization of iron ore resources of India”. CSIR awarded the network project keeping IMMT as the nodal laboratory and we have very high expectation out of this network project. Our clients—Essar Steel, TATA Steel, JSPL, Usha Martin, Shyam Steel—continued to restore their faith in our ability to solve industrial problems and gave us great recognition and feedback in spite of the recession. To begin with I am happy to report that IMMT continued its partnership with Essar Steel Ltd., and most recently we erected a commercial column flotation plant at Kirandul. The trial runs have been successfully completed and continuous operation is being streamlined.

Processing of low grade iron ore supplied by various iron ore processing industries has been taken up as a challenge. These low grade iron ore containing about 57-58% Fe, 4-5% SiO2 and 5% Al2O3 could be upgraded to a concentrate 65% Fe at 70-75% yield. Processing of slimes is also the need of the hour as many of our tailing ponds are getting choked. In this regard we took a challenging task of upgrading the slimes of Joda tailing (TATA Steel). These slimes have been upgraded to show only 2% Al2O3 and 66-67% Fe with 50-60% yield.

IMMT is currently rendering consultancy service to Jindal Stainless Ltd. for setting up a chromite ore beneficiation plant at Sukinda. Our work on graphite mineral continues—a graphite ore with 9-12% fixed carbon was beneficiated to upgrade up to 85% fixed carbon with 85% carbon recovery. We hope to develop a process for colloidal graphite which is currently being imported. Major characterization study concerning low grade manganese ore from Joda-Barbil area, Salebira and Panchra area of Sundergarh district and ores of Indonesian origin have been taken up to explore the possibility of upgrading the ores to marketable grade. This work got a major boost with a grant from Ministry of Steel.

India is facing shortage of phosphate and potash. In order to strengthen our knowledge base we looked at some of the overburden samples from India and Jordan containing 18-20% P2O5. The ore from Jordan is upgraded to 29% P2O5 with 40-45% yield. Blending of this ore with some other high grade ore would be highly beneficial for phosphoric acid production. Another task to provide basic engineering to set up a commercial plant of 500 tph of phosphates by Nilefos Minerals, Uganda, was taken up.

Biomineral processing has immense application in energy mineral sector. Our experience with Assam coal has now led to the development of a technology for microbial desulphurization of calcined petroleum coke. Several projects that are offshoots of the previous network project on biomineral processing— bioleaching of low grade copper ore of HCL, Mallanjkhand, and phosphorous removal from steel plant waste—stands promising and of national significance. If the copper project is successful at 2000 ton scale then HCL would set up a plant to utilize all its low grade ore lying as waste in huge quantity in several mines.

Our work in extractive metallurgy area prepared us to join a professional team of engineers engaged in erecting a plant at Trombay which is expected to process merchant grade phosphoric acid. For this project, we had designed the electrolytic reduction system. Our work on manganese nodule continued with renewed support from the Ministry of Earth Sciences. We have created a glimmer of hope on our quest and desire to utilize the Nickel resources of Orissa and it is only recently some activities have been initiated by NALCO that gives us confidence that it is only a matter of time before our pilot plants start running.

Our research activities in advanced materials area got impetus through a major grant from CSIR to set up the Innovation Centre for Plasma Processing at IMMT with a plan funding of 20 crores. The center aims to develop cost competitive industrial plasma processes at bench scale. Initial work led to the development of indirectly heated arc plasma to produce silicon carbide nanorods. The fabrication of a 10 kg in-flight batch reactor has been completed and experiments are underway in small batches with metallized ilmenite of various grades which shows considerable reduction in energy requirement. Studies on plasma smelting of red mud for production of pig iron and alumina rich slag were carried out in the existing 50 kW capacity argon arc plasma reactor. On the materials development and characterization front a slew of activities—anti-reflecting titanium oxide films, preparation of silver nano particles to treat water borne pathogens, synthesis of Mg-TiC composites, Al alloy development, new characterization techniques to evaluate degraded components—kept our scientists on the cutting edge of materials development.

The colloids and materials chemistry department continued with most of the ongoing programmes—nano metal/metal oxides, mesoporous materials, functional-inorganic materials, hybrid materials and coatings, synthesis, characterization of functional material—that have futuristic application. We also have ambitious programmes to develop intermediate temperature solid oxide fuel cells, luminescent signaling materials, fabrication of hydroxyapatite based scaffold for bio-implant applications. Development of high performance intermediate temperature solid oxide fuel cells by low-cost ceramic processing techniques is progressing well. Substantial amount of work has already been carried out on the development of patterned micro and nanostructures by electrophoretic deposition of functional materials.

IMMT continued its efforts with funding from Ministry of Earth Sciences for coastal water monitoring and extraction of bio-active compounds from marine sources. Our experience with environmental assessment around Paradip Port , which is an on-going activity, helped us to secure a project to carry out EIA study at Dhamra port. We also continued our work to monitor aerosol distribution around Orissa and Andhra Pradesh. A new study has been taken up for physical characterization of aerosols collected from different sources with financial support and active participation of ISRO.

Under the CSIR network project (TKDL), efforts have been made during the year to collect, collate and digitize structured information pertaining to traditional knowledge associated with bio-resources of eastern ghat regions of Orissa. It is envisaged that the database will serve the purpose of preventing the grant of wrong patents based on traditional knowledge of our country. Plant biotechnology activities and characterization of biodiversity around Gandhamardan hill ranges continue to generate important data. In addition research work on marine microbial diversity, screening of active compounds, and marker for Ayurvedic formulations continue.

There were several products and processes developed that are being commercialized or awaits commercialization.

1. First and foremost is the column flotation technology. I am glad to report that M/s TEGA Industries, Kolkata, has agreed to market this technology on royalty sharing basis.
2. The mineral polymerization technology for high volume utilization of fly ash, red mud, beneficiated iron ore slimes, etc. has caught the attention of several industries. We have entered into agreement with C-Farm, New Delhi, to market the technology and it has taken off well. I am happy to announce that DST has funded to set up a facility for pilot scale production of fly ash bricks.
3. The Terafil™ water filter, both the domestic and the on-line versions and the gravity flow water purification plant is being commercialized. I am extremely happy to report that the Terafil™ water filter has been accepted for mass propagation under the Bharat Nirman Yojna.
4. Last but not least, our bio-pesticide formulation to control mite in coconut plants is ready for commercial exploitation after extensive tests in a number of coconut growing states. IMMT and Coconut Development Board, Kochi, have jointly filed a patent for the formulation.

Admittedly, there is an element of hazard in all commercialization efforts of this sort. But if history is any guide, failing to make such efforts may eventually entail recourse to some esoteric domain where we never fulfill our mandate. Surely we should expect as much support from CSIR.

The research council (RC) of IMMT also took special interest in shaping and supporting various research activities of the laboratory. We upgraded some of our infrastructure facilities to world standards. The scientific, technical, and financial monitoring of many actions initiated under in-house projects has continued and a number of projects have been pruned as well as finalized. The technology implementation potential of our newly drawn projects is expected to help advance from knowledge to know-how and to facilitate innovation and technology transfer.

It is my pleasure to acknowledge the constant support and guidance received from Prof. S. K. Brahmachari, DG-CSIR, in launching many new initiatives—additional funding through non-network project, the PG diploma program in mineral engineering, sanctioning of a student hostel, supporting a novel contract worker scheme—which is setting the stage for a positive spiral of events in the coming years.

CSIR is changing tracks—bold and persistent experimentation is underway. In this process of change we too have been trying new ideas with passion. For the first time we are all set to offer a one-year PG diploma course in mineral engineering. We are also contemplating to set up a center of excellence in colloids and particulates based on our strength. A new research area in Organo-metallics is being planned to strengthen our materials activities which is expected to provide our scientists another avenue to pursue basic research. When change is inevitable, knowing how best to prepare for it is always a problem but doing something is certainly better than doing nothing. We will follow a progressive R&D path in order to preserve our ambition as an upcoming institute of national repute.

Thank you and Jai Hind.