AM/NS India and ICAR-IARI Partner for Sustainable Agricultural Use of Iron Ore Tailings

ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel India (AM/NS India) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Indian Council of Agricultural Research – Indian Agricultural Research Institute (ICAR-IARI) to conduct advanced scientific research on the sustainable utilization of Iron Ore Tailings (IOTs) in agriculture. Formally exchanged by Dr. Vishwanathan N. of AM/NS India and Dr. C. Viswanathan of ICAR-IARI, the partnership aims to convert mining by-products into value-adding agricultural applications, promoting resource conservation and circular economy practices.

Research Foundation and Objectives:
The collaboration expands upon promising preliminary studies initiated in 2024, which evaluated the agricultural suitability of IOTs generated during iron ore beneficiation. Initial laboratory and field evaluations at ICAR-IARI in New Delhi and near AM/NS India’s Kirandul facility in Chhattisgarh revealed that tailings contain naturally occurring minerals—such as silica, iron oxides, alumina, calcium, magnesium, and other beneficial nutrients that can support crop production for staple crops like paddy, wheat, and vegetables.

The new multi-season MoU entails long-term scientific evaluations to thoroughly test crop responses, nutrient availability, phyto-toxicity, leaching characteristics, and overall environmental safety. By establishing robust scientific evidence, the initiative seeks to safely repurpose mining by-products, minimize long-term industrial storage requirements, reduce chemical fertilizer imports, and aid biofortification efforts by addressing iron deficiencies in degraded soils.

Leadership Perspectives and Sustainability Alignment:
Hiroo Ishibashi, Director & Vice President  Technology at AM/NS India, emphasized that the partnership reflects the company’s commitment to waste valorisation and minimizing environmental footprints through science-led innovation. Dr. Bhupinder Singh, Principal Scientist and Principal Investigator at ICAR-IARI, noted that generating comprehensive empirical data on agronomic performance and environmental safety is vital for developing responsible industrial-to-agricultural pathways.

The initiative complements AM/NS India’s broader sustainability portfolio, which includes large-scale steel scrap recycling, the conversion of steel slag into the branded infrastructure aggregate “Aakar,” Zero Liquid Discharge water systems, and the reuse or recycling of over 90% of its operational process by-products.