Hindustan Zinc to increase production capacity by 50% to 1.5 mtpa

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Vedanta Limited, plans to increase its zinc production capacity from 1 million tonne per annum (mtpa) to 1.5 mtpa this fiscal. “Zinc will play a key role in India’s growth story... We are looking forward to at least 3-4% growth in the sector and plan to ramp up our production from 1 million tonnes to 1.5 million tonnes per annum," Priya Agarwal Hebbar, chairperson of HZL and non-executive director of Vedanta Ltd, said at the company’s 57th annual general meeting (AGM).

“Our growth efforts include expansion of capacities, maintaining a portfolio of mines with long life, strengthening cost leadership, expansion of product portfolio through customer centricity, and progressing towards a sustainable future," she added. Through FY23, the company recorded production surpassing 1 million tonne of refined metal while recording 257 kilo tonne of metal production in the first quarter of the new fiscal year, Hebbar said. To become more sustainable, Hindustan Zinc will further reduce its coal dependency by 50% within the next two years as part of the company’s environmental, social, and governance (ESG) goals.

“Today, our Pantnagar Metal Plant is powered 100% by renewable energy, and with our solar & wind projects accounting for 180- MW and 250 MW respectively, HZL will reduce its coal dependency by 50% by 2025," she said. She said HZL became the first in the country to introduce battery-operated electric vehicles (EVs) in underground mining. Hebbar believes the company will be able to achieve its ESG targets by 2030, ahead of parent Vedanta Group’s goal of 2050.