Business News | ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel India, ICAR-IARI Sign MoU to Explore Sustainable Use of Iron Ore Tailings in Agriculture

New Delhi [India], September 1 (ANI): 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 use of iron ore tailings (IOTs) in agricultural applications, the company said in a statement.

As per the company release, the MoU envisages long-term scientific studies at IARI, New Delhi, and AM/NS India, Kirandul, across multiple crop seasons to assess crop response, nutrient availability, phytotoxicity, leaching characteristics and overall environmental impact.

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"The research aims to establish robust scientific evidence that could enable and ensure a safe and beneficial utilization of the Iron Ore Tailings in agriculture. This will help in reducing the need for long-term storage of this mining byproduct," the company said adding the partnership aims to find a sustainable way to use iron ore tailings, while supporting farm productivity and protecting the environment.

According to the release, both the entities intend to develop and validate technologies for the safe and beneficial use of iron ore tailings, while promoting natural resource conservation, sustainable waste management and reducing reliance on imported chemical fertilisers.

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Furthermore, the partnership will also support "the one health approach in agriculture besides creating value and wealth possibilities from the materials that would otherwise require long-term storage," the company said.

The collaboration builds on preliminary studies launched in 2024 by AM/NS India and ICAR-IARI to assess the use of iron ore tailings in agriculture. As per the company, the studies found that the tailings, generated during iron ore beneficiation, contain naturally occurring minerals such as silica, iron oxides, alumina, calcium and magnesium, along with other micronutrients that could support crop production and soil health.

"The initiative is aligned with AM/NS India's broader sustainability strategy focused on resource efficiency, waste valorisation and circular economy practices," it said.

Hiroo Ishibashi, Director & Vice President - Technology, AM/NS India added, "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, this initiative can create a win-win outcome by reducing environmental footprints associated with byproduct storage while supporting sustainable agriculture and resource conservation. It reflects our commitment to advancing circular economy solutions that benefit both industry and society."

Bhupinder Singh, the Principal Investigator of the Project noted, "Through this long-term collaborative programme with AM/NS India, we aim to generate comprehensive scientific data on agronomic performance, environmental safety and nutrient dynamics, which can help develop evidence-based pathways for responsible utilization of iron ore tailings particularly for quenching the Fe deficiency of poor degraded soils and for improving the Fe concentration of the farm produce to support the biofortification effort." (ANI)

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