Under the agreement, AM/NS India’s Hazira plant has been cleared to process around 1.7 million tonnes of steel slag annually for application in road building.
ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel India (AM/NS India), the country’s largest privately owned steelmaker, has become the Indian company to receive a license for steel slag valourisation technology from the Central Road Research Institute (CRRI), a constituent body of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR).
The collaboration is set to accelerate the transition towards sustainable infrastructure by enabling the use of scientifically processed steel slag aggregates in road construction, reducing dependence on natural aggregates. CSIR-CRRI operates under the Ministry of Science & Technology and is one of India’s premier research bodies.
CSIR-CRRI estimates that India produces over 19 million tonnes (MT) of steel slag a year, with untreated slag posing risks to the mechanical strength and durability of composite materials.
Dr. Satish Pandey, Senior Principal Scientist at CRRI and inventor of the technology, said, “With this license, AM/NS India, which partnered with us to build the country’s first all-steel slag road in Hazira, is now authorised to manufacture, market, and distribute processed steel slag aggregates.”
Compared to conventional materials, steel slag-based roads can last up to three times longer and cost up to 40 per cent less in lifecycle terms. Their high strength makes them suitable for diverse terrains, including coastal and hilly regions.
The specially designed processed slag, branded as AM/NS Aakar, meets CRRI’s rigorous technical, safety, and quality standards. According to company sources, the aggregates have demonstrated greater durability and cost efficiency than natural alternatives.
Under the agreement, AM/NS India’s Hazira plant is approved to process around 1.7 MT of steel slag annually for application in road building.
A Collaborative Breakthrough
In response to the challenges posed by unprocessed steel slag—including poor durability and environmental hazards—the Ministry of Steel commissioned CRRI to lead a national research initiative. AM/NS India joined the effort, culminating in the creation of India’s first fully steel slag road at Hazira in 2022. The project replaced natural aggregates in all structural layers.
“This milestone builds on our work in building what is possibly the world’s first 1 km, six-lane road made entirely of steel slag,” said Ranjan Dhar, Director & VP Sales & Marketing, AM/NS India. The feat was recognised by both the India Book of Records and the Asia Book of Records.
With domestic steel capacity projected to reach 300 MT by FY2030-31, annual slag generation could surge to 60 MT. In anticipation, the Ministry of Steel is now promoting steel slag road technology in collaboration with the ministries of Science & Technology and Road Transport & Highways.
In March, Union Minister for Environment & Forests Bhupender Yadav valued India’s circular economy at over $2 trillion, with potential to create nearly 10 million jobs by 2050.