Primetals receives FAC for the world’s most compact pelletizing plant

Indian iron ore mining company Essel Mining and Industries Limited (EMIL) recently granted the final acceptance certificate (FAC) to Primetals Technologies for its Circular Pelletizing Technology (CPT) plant located at its facilities in Basantpur, Odisha state, India. CPT is the world’s most compact pelletizing plant for the production of high-quality pellets, featuring an indurating furnace with unique circular design.

The CPT plant – the first of its kind – was successfully put into operation in October 2020, in midst of the pandemic. Since then, there has been an ongoing ramp-up of the production capacity. “With the support of the Primetals Technologies team, we were able to optimize pellet production and have continuously improved both the production capacity and pellet quality. We are still exploiting the full potential of the CPT pelletizing system.” says Pavan Kumar Kakani, Joint President and Unit Head of the EMIL plant in Basantpur.

With a design capacity of 1 million tons per year, the CPT plant processes local iron ores to produce pellets for both the export and domestic market.  

A CPT plant ensures that space requirements for the induration furnace are reduced by 50 percent compared to conventional pelletizing plants. As a result, the weight of the equipment and the building structure are significantly lower. The pelletizing process required less energy, as the CPT process is designed to optimize the thermal efficiency of the recycled hot process gas. This leads to lower operational expenses (OPEX). Primetals Technologies’ scope of supply included the complete plant design, full basic (Level 1) and process (Level 2) automation systems, as well as advisory and startup services including construction works and supervision during implementation.

Established in 1950, Essel Mining and Industries Limited (EMIL) is part of the Aditya Birla Group, a global conglomerate and Fortune 500 member. Aditya Birla Group is active in a wide range of sectors including metals, chemicals, textiles, cement, and renewable energy. One of India’s largest mining companies, EMIL is also a producer of noble ferro alloys.

Source and Photo: Primetals