In a significant step towards sustainable steelmaking and efficient resource utilization, A Micro Pellet Plant with annual capacity of 0.18 Million Tonnes was inaugurated at SAIL, Rourkela Steel Plant (RSP) on 22nd July, 2026. The state-of-the-art facility was inaugurated by Mr. Alok Verma, Director In-Charge, RSP. Present on the occasion were Mr. Mr. B K Giri, ED (Mines Development), Mr. Biswaranjan Palai, ED (Works), Mr. Anil Kumar, ED (MM), Mr. M P Singh, ED (Mines), Mr. S Palchowdhury, ED (Projects), Mr. Rajesh Dasgupta, CGM (F&A) with additional charge of ED (F&A), Mr. Prashant Ahluwalia, CMD, M/s Shri Jagannath Steels & Power Ltd., CGMs and senior officers of the plant.
The Micro Pellet Plant, the first of its kind in SAIL, has been established on a Construct, Operate and Maintain (COM) basis by M/s Shri Jagannath Steels & Power Ltd. The project has been set up with the objective of converting waste fines generated during the steelmaking process into value-added micro pellets for use in RSP’s sinter plants, thereby promoting circular economy and environmental sustainability and was commissioned ahead of targeted schedule.
Notably, the plant will process waste fines such as SMS and Blast Furnace sludges, ESP and bag filter dust, and other micron-sized iron-bearing materials that have accumulated over the years. Through a specialized agglomeration process, these materials will be converted into micro pellets of 1–6 mm size, making them suitable for utilization in the sinter making process.
The commissioning of the facility marks a major milestone in RSP’s journey towards cleaner, greener and more sustainable operations. Besides mitigating environmental concerns associated with waste disposal, the plant will enable recovery and reuse of valuable constituents such as iron (Fe), calcium oxide (CaO) and magnesium oxide (MgO), thereby reducing raw material consumption and enhancing overall process efficiency.
The Centre for Engineering & Technology (CET), Ranchi, served as the consultant for the project.
