State-run mining major Gujarat Mineral Development Corporation (GMDC) has joined hands with Reminco Resources Pvt Ltd headquartered at Ahmedabad and Mumbai-based company Alumina Refinery for taking up projects to manufacture zeolite and alumina chemicals in the state.
“We have tied-up with two firms for zeolite and alumina chemicals projects in Kutch,” said VS Gadhavi, managing director, GMDC.
The public sector company in collaboration with Reminco Resources plans to implement a project to manufacture zeolite, which has applications in detergents, soaps, water and edible oil purification. The cost of this project is estimated to be around Rs 60 crore.
In joint venture with Alumina Refinery, a plant to manufacture alumina chemicals will be set up. The project envisages investment of around Rs 30-35 crore. Alumina chemicals are used as catalyst in chemical industry.
Bauxite is a key raw material for producing zeolite and alumina chemicals. Gujarat has bauxite reserves of 184 million tonnes. Though the project details are yet to be worked out, GMDC is likely to hold 26 per cent equity in the project.
GMDC has been implementing a number of projects in joint venture with various companies. According to M Sahu, chairman, GMDC, the company proposes to enter into a series of strategic partnerships with various private sector mineral players for value addition to available mineral resources of the state.
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Apart from setting up two alumina plants in joint venture with Ashapura Minechem Limited and USA-based Aluchem Inc., the state-run PSU has also teamed up with Carborundum Universal Limited (CUMI), a Chennai-based Murugappa group company, to establish a brown fused alumina (BFA) plant in Kutch. The investment for this project is pegged at Rs 50-75 crore.
GMDC also has JVs with Asahi India Glass Limited, Gujarat Fluorochemicals Limited and Navin Fluorine International, Cube Mines & Minerals, Shivam Manganese and Minerals, SAL Steels Limited and Shyam Sel Ltd for various projects.