Chennai: ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel India (AM/NS India) and the Indian Council of Agricultural Research – Indian Agricultural Research Institute (ICAR-IARI) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to undertake advanced research on the sustainable utilization of Iron Ore Tailings (IOTs) in agriculture, marking a significant step towards a circular economy and resource conservation in India.
The MoU was signed and exchanged by Dr. Vishwanathan N., Head – Research & Development, AM/NS India, and Dr. C. Viswanathan, Joint Director (Research), ICAR-IARI, in the presence of Dr. Bhupinder Singh, Principal Scientist and Principal Investigator, ICAR-IARI, and other senior officials from both institutions.
The collaboration builds on encouraging preliminary studies initiated in 2024, which found that IOTs — generated during the beneficiation of iron ore — contain naturally occurring minerals such as silica, iron oxides, alumina, calcium, magnesium and other micro and beneficial nutrients that can support crop production and sustain soil health. Initial laboratory and field studies conducted at ICAR-IARI, New Delhi, and near AM/NS India’s beneficiation facility in Kirandul, Chhattisgarh, demonstrated promising results for crops including paddy, wheat and vegetables.
The MoU focuses on long-term studies at both IARI, New Delhi, and Kirandul over multiple seasons to evaluate crop response, nutrient availability, phyto-toxicity, leaching characteristics and overall environmental impact, establishing robust scientific evidence for the safe and beneficial use of IOTs in agriculture.
Hiroo Ishibashi, Director & Vice President – Technology, AM/NS India, said: “At AM/NS India, sustainability and innovation go hand in hand. This collaboration with ICAR-IARI represents a pioneering effort to unlock the potential of iron ore tailings through science-led research. If successful, it can create a win-win outcome by reducing environmental footprints associated with by-product storage while supporting sustainable agriculture and resource conservation.”
Dr. Bhupinder Singh, Principal Investigator, said: “Waste valorisation is an important area of research for sustainable agriculture and environment. Through this long-term collaborative programme, we aim to generate comprehensive scientific data on agronomic performance, environmental safety and nutrient dynamics, particularly for quenching the Fe deficiency of poor degraded soils and supporting biofortification.”
Aligned with AM/NS India’s broader sustainability strategy, the initiative complements the company’s existing efforts in steel scrap recycling, conversion of steel slag into its branded aggregate product “Aakar”, Zero Liquid Discharge water recycling, and the reuse or recycling of over 90% of process by-products.