ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel India (AM/NS India) has partnered with the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, Central Road Research Institute (CSIR-CRRI) to promote sustainable infrastructure by advancing steel slag road technology. This innovation replaces natural aggregates with scientifically processed steel slag in road construction.
AM/NS India is the first in the country to obtain a license from CSIR-CRRI for steel slag valorization. The license, awarded for its Hazira plant in Gujarat, enables the company to produce processed slag aggregates for use in roads under the technology titled “Steel Slag Valorization Technology for Development of Processed EAF Steel Slag Aggregates.”
Under the brand ‘AM/NS Aakar’, the company manufactures slag that meets CSIR-CRRI’s stringent technical specifications. These processed slag aggregates are more durable and cost-effective than traditional materials, up to 30-40pct cheaper and lasting three times longer than conventional bitumen roads, with strong resistance in diverse environments, from coastal to rugged terrains.
AM/NS India currently generates around 1.7 mln tons of steel slag annually, all of which can now be processed using the licensed technology. In contrast, unprocessed slag has posed durability and environmental challenges.
To address this, CSIR-CRRI was commissioned by India’s Ministry of Steel to research slag applications in roads, leading to the construction of the country’s first all-steel slag road in Hazira, in collaboration with AM/NS India.
With steel slag generation projected to reach 60 mln tons by FY 2030, the Ministry of Steel, alongside the Ministries of Science & Technology and Road Transport & Highways, is promoting large-scale adoption of this technology.
The initiative supports India’s circular economy goals, projected to generate USD 2 trillion in market value and create up to 10 mln jobs by 2050.
AM/NS India, a joint venture between global steel giants ArcelorMittal and Nippon Steel, is a leading integrated flat carbon steel producer in India. The company operates with a crude steel capacity of 9 mln tons per annum, along with 20 mln tons of pellet capacity and a diverse portfolio of flat and value-added steel products.
