With India aiming to become a global hub for steel production, the demand for both manganese and chrome and ferro alloy is expected to rise steadily. As manganese and chrome ore are the basic raw materials for steel making, with the growth of iron and steel sector, there is huge potential of manganese, chrome ore and ferro-alloys industry in India. Globally, the importance of manganese ore is increasing as a vital material in future of electric vehicles industry with the commitment for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and leveraging renewable energy sources.

Our country is endowed with huge resources of manganese ore to the tune of 504 million tonnes and chrome ore to the tune of 332 million tonnes as on 1^st April, 2020.  However, it is ironical that despite possessing rich resources, domestic mining industry and ferro-alloy industry is compelled to import these minerals. The National Steel Policy of India, 2017 aspires to achieve 300 million tonnes of steelmaking capacity by 2030. Hence, there is need for enhanced production to meet the requirement of 11 milllion tonnes of manganese ore and 5 million tonnes of chrome ore by 2030-31.

Ferro alloys are essential to the Indian steel industry, significantly contributing to both domestic consumption and foreign exchange earnings. Despite this fact, the industry faces several structural, operational, and policy-related challenges that hinder its growth and global competitiveness. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a roadmap so that industry rise to new levels with enhanced productivity.

 Due to shifting of global supply chains, green energy transitions, and geopolitical uncertainties, stakeholders across the value chain from exploration and extraction to processing and trade face both new opportunities and pressing challenges. These include sustainability imperatives, price volatility, and the urgent need for technological innovation. Further, at the same time, challenges such as raw material shortage, non-operation of new mines, and resource depletion in existing mining zones, environmental compliance, beneficiation requirements, and logistics bottlenecks necessitate a coordinated approach among stakeholders.

This summit will provide a unique platform for the manganese / chrome ore and alloy producers, consumers, technology suppliers, as well as others to discuss green technological developments, legislative issues, ESG, research & development and market trends. Producers, consumers, buyers and traders will have the opportunity to discuss and review supply and demand related issues in open forums and private meetings. Suppliers of exploration, mining processing equipment and metallurgical technologies will have an opportunity to make presentations on manganese/chrome ore and alloys to the stakeholders.