--- title: "OMC, Mintek pilot plant enables platinum group element extraction in India" type: "News" locale: "en" url: "https://longbridge.com/en/news/283377524.md" description: "Odisha Mining Corporation Ltd (OMC) has successfully conducted a trial run of a platinum group minerals (PGM) pilot plant in Bhubaneswar, marking a significant advancement in India's strategic minerals sector. This pilot plant, developed in collaboration with IMMT and South Africa’s Mintek, aims to extract platinum group elements (PGEs) from ore sourced from Bangur chromite mines. The initiative is crucial for India's self-reliance in critical minerals, reducing import dependence, and could open new revenue streams for the state, which holds over 98% of India's chromite reserves. OMC recently reported its highest-ever mineral production and revenue." datetime: "2026-04-20T07:25:34.000Z" locales: - [zh-CN](https://longbridge.com/zh-CN/news/283377524.md) - [en](https://longbridge.com/en/news/283377524.md) - [zh-HK](https://longbridge.com/zh-HK/news/283377524.md) --- # OMC, Mintek pilot plant enables platinum group element extraction in India In a significant breakthrough for India’s strategic minerals sector, Odisha Mining Corporation Ltd (OMC) on Monday successfully conducted the trial run of a platinum group minerals (PGM) pilot plant at the Institute of Minerals and Materials Technology (IMMT), Bhubaneswar. The successful commissioning of the pilot plant paves the way for extraction of platinum group elements (PGEs) from ore sourced from the Bangur chromite mines in Keonjhar district. Developed as part of a ₹10-crore, two-phase research and development project by OMC in collaboration with IMMT and South Africa’s Mintek, the facility aims to establish India’s first integrated PGE beneficiation and smelting ecosystem. The one-tonne-per-hour pilot plant will now be used to validate the consistency, recovery rates, and scalability of PGE concentrate under real-time operating conditions before moving to commercial-scale development. Officials said this is a major step in India’s efforts to achieve self-reliance in critical and strategic minerals, especially since platinum group elements such as platinum, palladium, and rhodium are essential inputs for clean energy technologies, hydrogen economy applications, electronics, catalytic converters, defence systems, and advanced manufacturing. With global supplies of these minerals concentrated in a few countries, the initiative assumes national importance in reducing import dependence. “The design and operational strategy of the pilot plant were shaped by joint field studies undertaken in October 2025 by teams from OMC, Mintek, and IMMT at Bangur Mines, one of Odisha’s key chromite-bearing regions. The studies focused on ore characteristics, beneficiation behaviour, and extraction pathways for commercially viable recovery of precious metals embedded in chromite ore bodies,” said an OMC official. The pilot plant is a major technological leap for Odisha, traditionally known for its rich reserves of iron ore, chromite, bauxite, and manganese. The state holds over 98 per cent of India’s chromite reserves, making it the country’s sole major producer. The successful recovery of PGEs from chromite ore could open a new revenue stream while strengthening downstream industries. For OMC, the achievement comes at a time when the state-run miner reported its strongest operational performance. The corporation posted its highest-ever mineral production of 44.82 million tonnes in 2025–26, while revenue touched around ₹25,300 crore, driven mainly by record iron ore output of 40.02 million tonnes. Chrome ore production rose to 1.69 million tonnes, while bauxite output stood at 2.83 million tonnes. Established in 1956, the gold-category PSU has emerged as one of India’s leading mineral producers and a key contributor to the state exchequer. The corporation has turned its focus to sustainable mining, digital operations, mine modernisation, renewable energy integration, and diversification into value-added minerals in recent years. ### Related Stocks - [SPPP.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/SPPP.US.md) - [PPLT.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/PPLT.US.md) ## Related News & Research - [Minerals Technologies Inc. Declares Quarterly Dividend | MTX Stock News](https://longbridge.com/en/news/286920602.md) - [OMNICOM TO PRESENT AT THE J.P. MORGAN GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY, MEDIA AND COMMUNICATIONS CONFERENCE | OMC Stock News](https://longbridge.com/en/news/286281406.md) - [OMC plans 1.5 mtpa pellet plant in Odisha with ₹800 crore outlay](https://longbridge.com/en/news/286791443.md) - [How Central Asia can seize the critical minerals moment](https://longbridge.com/en/news/286821911.md) - [Golden Sky Minerals Consolidates Full Ownership of Rayfield Ground within Rayfield-Gjoll Project | LCKYF Stock News](https://longbridge.com/en/news/286937838.md)