Bhubaneswar, Nov. 15 -- National Aluminium Company Ltd (NALCO) is set to commission India's first gallium recovery plant at its Damanjodi refinery complex in Odisha's Koraput this month. The pilot project, developed jointly with the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) and the Heavy Water Board, is nearly ready, chairman and managing director Brijendra Pratap Singh said on Friday.

According to Business Standard, the commissioning has been delayed by a month or two due to difficulties in procuring specialised spares and consumables from overseas.

Gallium is a critical mineral used in semiconductors, advanced electronics, telecommunications, aerospace and defence technologies. Its recovery from industrial process streams is expected to he...