PINAKI MAJUMDAR
Jamshedpur, Jan 30: The two-day national conference on “Innovations in Coal & Mineral Characterization for Sustainable Resource Utilization (ICMCS-2025)” organised by CSIR-NML (National Metallurgical Laboratory) Jamshedpur kicked off at Hotel Fairfield by Marriott in Kolkata today.
The conference is being organised as a part of the Platinum Jubilee celebration of NML.
The conference aims to bring together researchers, industry leaders, and policymakers on a common platform to foster knowledge sharing, innovation, and collaboration for sustainable resource utilization.
The chief guest at the inaugural function of the conference was Manoj Kumar, Chairman & Managing Director, CMPDI, Ranchi. Sandip Ghosh Chowdhury, Director, CSIR-NML, along with and other dignitaries were present. The conference souvenir was also released on the occasion.
This national-level seminar focuses on advancing technologies and methodologies in coal and mineral characterization, resource exploration, analytical techniques, and sustainable practices.
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Wide participation and technical sessions
Over the two-day event, more than 100 delegates from 30 institutes across the country are participating, with 37 technical papers presented across six sessions, covering cutting-edge topics in coal and mineral research.
Institutions such as IIT, Kharagpur; BHU, Varanasi; CMPDI, Ranchi; NCCCM, BARC, Hyderabad; CSIR-CLRI, Chennai; Mizoram University; IIT Bombay; Tata Steel Ltd., Coal India Ltd., Mahanadi Coalfields Limited; NTPC; CSIR-CIMFR, Dhanbad; GSI, Kolkata, CSIR-IMMT, Bhubaneswar; and many others would represent at the conference.
CSIR-NML’s contributions and research initiatives
Director of CSIR-NML, Sandip Ghosh Chowdhury, welcomed the dignitaries, delegates, and participants. He emphasized the laboratory’s significant contributions to research in material science, particularly in the areas of coal and mineral characterization and their sustainable utilization.
He also elaborated on NML’s pivotal role in nation-building through its collaborations with industries, fostering innovation, and nurturing young minds from academia by cultivating their innovative ideas and potential.
Call for Industry-Research collaboration
The Chairperson of ICMCS-2025, Sanchita Chakravarty underscored the critical importance of fostering long-term collaborations between research laboratories and industries to drive the development of cutting-edge technologies in coal and mineral characterization and their sustainable utilization.
She also highlighted the remarkable achievements that have emerged from such collaborative efforts, particularly between industries and premier national laboratories like CSIR-NML, emphasizing how these partnerships have advanced innovation and addressed key challenges in resource management.
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Insights from chief guest
The chief guest Manoj Kumar, CMD, CMPDI, addressed the gathering and highlighted CMPDIL’s critical role in resource exploration and sustainable development.
He emphasized the importance of collaborations between research organizations and industries, such as the longstanding partnership between CSIR-NML and CMPDI, which has contributed significantly to advancements in coal characterization and certified reference materials.
Plenary lectures and key topics
The conference also featured two plenary lectures delivered by industry leaders – DB Sundar Raman, Vice President, Raw Materials, Tata Steel Ltd. and Joy Gopal Ghosh, Associate Principal (Geology and Exploration), Geovale Services.
The six technical sessions of the conference will cover diverse areas, including emerging trends in coal characterization, exploration techniques, and sustainable approaches to resource utilization.
