Tata Steel Champions Circular Economy by Using Ferrochrome Slag Chips in Road Construction and Ferroalloy Production

Bhubaneswar, July 01, 2025: In a significant step towards promoting circular economy and sustainable industrial practices, Tata Steel’s Ferro Alloys and Minerals Division (FAMD) has constructed a 1.5-kilometre internal road at its Ferro Alloys Plant (FAP) in Gopalpur, Ganjam, using Ferrochrome slag chips — a by-product generated during the production of Ferrochrome alloy.

This innovative initiative not only ensures the sustainable management of solid waste but also significantly reduces the company’s environmental footprint. Approximately 3,500 tonnes of slag aggregates, sized between 6 to 20 mm, have been used in the construction, effectively replacing natural stone aggregates and minimizing the need for quarrying.

In addition to road construction, FAMD has also initiated the partial replacement of river sand with Ferrochrome slag fines for slag bed and slag pan dressing processes at its Gopalpur and Athagarh FAP plants. As a result, monthly river sand consumption has been reduced by 35% at FAP Gopalpur and by 10% at FAP Athagarh in Cuttack district.

Pankaj Satija, Executive-In-charge, FAMD said, “Industry has been innovating to promote circularity in its operations to ensure resource stewardship. The reuse of Ferro-Chrome slag not only reduces pressure on river ecosystem for need of sand but inspires us to explore other innovative solutions to use co-products which otherwise would have been produced from the virgin area causing land degradation and de vegetation. I am thankful to my team for implementing such solutions.”

Traditionally – in ferroalloy production – river sand mixed with binders like sodium silicate has been used as a base for cast iron pans and as a parting agent during casting operations to handle liquid metal and slag. These operations collectively required around 1,000 metric tonnes of river sand every month. The use of slag fines has not only eased the pressure on natural river sand resources but also mitigated land degradation risks associated with slag disposal.

This sustainable approach demonstrates Tata Steel’s continued commitment to resource conservation, environmental stewardship, and operational efficiency. Through such circular economy initiatives, the company is paving the way for responsible industrial growth and greener alternatives in the ferroalloy sector.