APPRENTICE

IREL (India) Limited, formerly known as Indian Rare Earths Limited, is a public sector undertaking (PSU) based in Mumbai, Maharashtra.¹ It operates under the administrative control of the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), Government of India.²

Core Business and Operations

• Primary Function: IREL is a pioneer in the mining and separation of beach sand minerals and the production of rare earth compounds.³ Its core business revolves around extracting and refining a variety of heavy minerals and rare earths from beach sand deposits.⁴

  
  

• Integrated Business: The company has an integrated business model, which includes mining, mineral separation, and the extraction and refining of rare earths.⁵ It provides key raw materials for a wide range of strategic and industrial applications, including nuclear energy, defense, aerospace, and electronics.⁶

  
  

• Strategic Importance: IREL plays a vital role in India's strategic and industrial growth by ensuring a domestic supply of critical minerals and rare earths.⁷ Its work aligns with the "Make in India" and "Atmanirbhar Bharat" (self-reliant India) initiatives.⁸

  
  

Products and Plants

IREL operates several plants located in coastal areas of India, each specializing in different aspects of its business:

• Mineral Sands: The company mines and processes beach sand to produce various heavy minerals, including:⁹

  
  

  • Ilmenite: Used in the production of titanium dioxide pigments and titanium metal.

  • Rutile: Used in welding electrodes and titanium sponge production.¹⁰

    
    

  • Zircon: Used in ceramics, refractories, and foundries.

  • Sillimanite: A key material for refractory manufacturers.

  • Garnet: Primarily used for sandblasting and water jet cutting.¹¹

    
    

• Rare Earths and Chemicals: From the mined minerals, IREL also extracts and refines rare earth compounds and other chemicals, such as:¹²

  
  

  • Rare Earth Chloride: A feedstock for separating individual rare earth elements.¹³

    
    

  • Thorium Nitrate: Used in gas mantles and other applications.

  • Trisodium Phosphate: Used in detergents, power plants, and refineries.

• Operating Units:

  • Chavara (Kerala):¹⁴ Known for its high-quality "Q" grade mineral deposits.

    
    

  • Manavalakurichi (Tamil Nadu): A key mineral separation plant.

  • Orissa Sands Complex (OSCOM) (Odisha):¹⁵ A flagship unit for both mineral processing and rare earth extraction.

    
    

  • Rare Earths Division (Aluva, Kerala):¹⁶ A plant that refines mixed rare earth concentrates to produce high-purity rare earth oxides.¹⁷

    
    

Future Projects

IREL is actively involved in expanding its capacity and diversifying its operations.¹⁸ Ongoing and upcoming projects include:

• Capacity Expansion: Increasing the production capacity of its existing units, such as OSCOM.¹⁹

  
  

• Joint Ventures: Collaborating with state-level mining corporations to harness new mineral deposits.²⁰

  
  

• Rare Earth Permanent Magnet Plant: Setting up a plant to produce Rare Earth Permanent Magnets, a project of strategic importance for the country.²¹

  
  

• Research and Development: IREL maintains a dedicated R&D division to support its mineral and chemical operations and explore new value-added products.²²

  *source: google gemini