Annual Report 2009-2010 - Ministry Of Earth Sciences

5.1.3 Technology Development (Extractive
Metallurgy)
A demonstration pilot plant activities were
completed successfully for extracting copper,
nickel and cobalt at Hindustan Zinc Limited
(HZL), Udaipur. The data generated during the
demonstration campaigns is being used for
evaluation and validation of process packages.
Various R&D campaigns were carried out at the
participating laboratories [Institute of Minerals
and Materials Technology, Bhubaneswar (Formerly
Regional Research Laboratory (Bhubaneswar)
RRL(B)) and National Metallurgical Laboratory,
Jamshedpur (NML(J)) for further refinement of
package developed by both laboratories.
Institute of Minerals and Materials Technology
(IMMT), Bhubaneswar, continued its R & D
activities directed towards value addition of
manganese bearing product, alternative uses of
leach residue generated from its own process and
various technology improvements.
The following activities were carried out at National
Metallurgical Laboratory (NML), Jamshedpur
during 2009:
• Reduction roasting of sea nodules with coal and
leach ammoniacal leaching on 1 Kg scale were
completed with metal recoveries of Copper and
Nickel >90% and Cobalt >70%.
• Ammoniacal leaching of coal reduced sea
nodules at 10 Kg scale with metal recoveries of
Copper and Nickel >90%, Cobalt >70%.
• Reduction smelting of sea nodule with
variation of coke was optimised on 20 Kg scale
with metal recovery value of Cu: 91%, Ni: 93%
& Co: 85%.
• By addition of elemental sulphur, matte
containing 20-24% sulphur was produced from
the Cu-Ni-Co-Fe alloy.
• Acid pressure dissolution of matte with >97% Cu
and >98% Co and Ni recoveries were achieved.
• Cu extraction from leach solution using solvent
DEPHA and LIX84 was achieved with more than
99% separation efficiency.
5.2 Delineation of Outer Limits of
Continental Shelf
The United Nations Convention on Law of the
Sea (UNCLOS) allows coastal states to establish
boundaries of the territorial sea, the contiguous
zone and Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) from
their baselines. The EEZ extends up to 200 nautical
miles (M) (1 nautical mile is about 1.85 km),
where the states can exercise exclusive economic
rights over the resources of the water column as
well as of the seabed and subsoil thereof.
The continental shelf as defined under UNCLOS
comprises the seabed and subsoil of the
submarine areas of a coastal State that extend
beyond its territorial sea throughout the natural
prolongation of its land territory to the outer
edge of the continental margin (comprising the
geological shelf, slope and rise), or to a distance
of 200 M from the territorial sea baselines where
the outer edge of the continental margin does not
extend up to that distance. (Fig. 5.1)
The outer limits of the Continental Shelf where it
extends beyond 200 M have to be established by
physical surveys involving the determination of the
water depth and the thickness of the sediments.
Considering that India’s continental shelf extends
beyond 200 M from the territorial sea baselines,
a major multi-institutional national programme
was undertaken of collecting, processing,
analysing and documenting the requisite scientific
and technical information for delineating the
outer limits of the continental shelf in the
Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal including
the western offshore areas of the Andaman and
Nicobar Islands. The task was implemented by
the National Centre for Antarctic and Ocean
Research as a lead agency in association with
Naval Hydrographic Office, National Institute
of Oceanography and National Geophysical
Research Institute, Geological Survey of India,
Directorate General of Hydrocarbons, and Oil
and Natural Gas Corporation.
26 Ministry of Earth Sciences : Annual Report 2009-10