By Bizodisha Bureau, Bhubaneswar, May 10, 2016 : Navaratna public sector unit National Aluminium Company [NALCO] on Tuesday signed an MoU with Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), Mumbai, for research and development (R&D) cooperation in the fields of mutual interest.

The MoU was signed by Dr. B.K. Satpathy, Executive Director (Business Development), NALCO and Dr. Jagtap, Director (Chemistry Group), BARC in presence of NALCO CMD, Dr. Chand and Principal Scientific Advisor to Govt. of India and Chairman of the Scientific Advisory Committee to the Cabinet, Dr. Rajagopal Chidambaram.

Under the MoU, R&D projects like: Extraction of Gallium from Bayer liquor, Extraction of Rare earth elements from Red Mud and Development of Reference Standards would be taken up within the framework of this MoU.

Nalco chairman and managing director said, “Extraction of Gallium from Bayer Liquor will be NALCO’s first R&D project with BARC with an objective to develop indigenous technology for this strategic metal, for our country”.