Indian Metals & Ferro Alloys commissions Low Density Aggregates using fly ash

KOLKATA: Indian Metals & Ferro Alloys (IMFA), the country's leading producer of value-added chrome, has commenced production of Low Density Aggregate (LDA), an eco-friendly product made out of fly ash generated by thermal power plants. The company has spent Rs 75 crore to set up a plant to produce LDA, which is a substitute for natural aggregates (stone chips) quarrying of which in itself adds to the pollution load.

LDA also has the added advantage of being light weight while adding mass to concrete. The permeable surface of LDA pellets also enables better quality concrete as opposed to stone chips. Given its fully integrated business model, IMFA operates 258 MW captive power generation capacity and own chrome ore mines.

LDA which is used globally, is being produced in India for the first time. The composition is about 85 per cent fly ash and the new plant is expected to utilize about 1.2 lakh tonnes per annum of fly ash. IMFA also has 2 units of fly ash brick plant with collective capacity of one lakh fly ash bricks per day.

Commenting on the development Mr Jayant Misra, Director (Corporate) and chief operation officer, IMFA said: “This investment demonstrates our commitment to the environment. We are also delighted to be a trailblazer yet again and are confident this product will be of great use to the construction industry."