The Heavy Water Board (HWB), in collaboration with the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), has commenced construction of a demonstration plant to recover valuable Metal-G from spent liquor at the NALCO alumina refinery in Damanjodi, Odisha.

The groundbreaking ceremony, held on 20 November, 2025, was attended by key figures including S Satyakumar, Chairman of HWB, and Shri Brijendra Pratap Singh, Chairman of NALCO. This pioneering project utilizes an Ion-Exchange (IX) process and indigenously developed special resin and solvent to recover Metal-G, which is critical for high-speed semiconductors and integrated circuits used in space and defense technologies.

Chairman Satyakumar highlighted the project's importance, stating, "By recovering Metal-G from NALCO’s spent liquor, we will reduce our dependency on imports to meet the country’s semiconductor needs." The facility aligns with India's Atmanirbhar Bharat vision, offering an environmentally friendly, scalable solution for Metal-G production.