Argus News - OMC Conducts Successful Platinum Group Minerals Pilot Plant Trial in Bhubaneswar

Bhubaneswar, Apr 20: Odisha Mining Corporation Ltd. (OMC) has achieved a landmark breakthrough in India’s mineral sector with the successful trial run of its Platinum Group Minerals (PGM) Pilot Plant at CSIR–Institute of Minerals and Materials Technology (IMMT), Bhubaneswar. The facility, designed to extract Platinum Group Elements (PGE) from ore sourced at Bangur Chromite Mines in Keonjhar, represents a decisive step toward establishing India’s first integrated PGE beneficiation and smelting plant.

Platinum, palladium, and rhodium — critical PGEs — are indispensable for clean energy technologies, advanced electronics, and the automotive industry.

The pilot plant, developed under a ₹10 crore, two‑phase R&D programme by OMC in collaboration with CSIR‑IMMT and Mintek South Africa, is built to process one tonne of ore per hour. Its successful operation validates both the scalability and consistency of PGE concentrate production under real‑time conditions.

The design and execution of the plant were shaped by joint field studies conducted in October 2025 at Bangur Mines, where OMC, Mintek, and CSIR‑IMMT teams collaborated closely.

This milestone underscores OMC’s commitment to innovation and positions Odisha as a frontrunner in advanced mineral processing. More importantly, it strengthens India’s pursuit of self‑reliance in strategic minerals, ensuring greater security in critical resources for the nation’s future.