Sustainable mining spotlight: NALCO’s Panchpatmali wins 2025-26 environment award

National Aluminium Company Limited (NALCO) has received the Abheraj Baldota Environment Award 2025-26 for environmental protection and sustainable mining practices at its Panchpatmali Bauxite Mines in Koraput, Odisha.

The recognition comes as sustainable mining and environmental management gain greater significance across India’s mineral and aluminium value chain. The award was presented during the 60th Annual General Meeting of the Federation of Indian Mineral Industries (FIMI) in New Delhi on September 22, 2026.

Pankaj Kumar Sharma, Director (Production), NALCO, received the award from Keshav Chandra, IAS, Secretary, Ministry of Mines, Government of India. Dr Veena Kumari Dermal, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Mines, was also present at the ceremony. Members of the Panchpatmali Bauxite Mines team attended the event as well.

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Focus on sustainable bauxite mining

The award specifically recognises environmental protection measures and sustainable practices implemented at NALCO’s Panchpatmali Bauxite Mines, which form part of the company’s Mines & Refinery Complex in Koraput.

The recognition highlights the company’s efforts to incorporate environmental considerations into its mining operations while continuing to meet operational requirements. It also brings the spotlight on responsible resource management in the bauxite mining sector, an important upstream segment of India’s aluminium industry.

NALCO’s latest environmental disclosures show that the company continues to report compliance and environmental status for its Panchpatmali mining operations. Its website lists six-monthly environmental-clearance status reports for the Central and North Block as well as the South Block of the Panchpatmali Bauxite Mine, with the latest reports covering the period up to March 31, 2026.

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Recognition for Panchpatmali operations

The Abheraj Baldota Environment Award 2025-26 puts the environmental performance of the Panchpatmali mines at the centre of the latest recognition.

Located in Koraput, Odisha, the mines are an integral part of NALCO’s integrated operations spanning bauxite mining, alumina refining and aluminium production. The company is a Navratna Central Public Sector Enterprise under the Ministry of Mines.

The award was presented at a significant industry gathering, with senior representatives from the Ministry of Mines in attendance. This places sustainable mining practices alongside broader discussions within India’s minerals and mining industry.

The recognition adds another sustainability milestone to a year in which NALCO has also been advancing its aluminium production and expansion plans. Its latest corporate disclosures include a technology partnership with Emirates Global Aluminium and plans linked to expansion of its Angul aluminium operations.

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A closer look at NALCO’s bauxite-to-aluminium chain

Panchpatmali is particularly significant to NALCO because the company operates an integrated aluminium value chain, beginning with bauxite mining and extending through alumina refining and aluminium production.

The latest award therefore connects environmental management at the mining stage with the wider sustainability agenda of the aluminium industry. Rather than focusing solely on downstream aluminium production, the recognition draws attention to environmental practices at the point where the raw material enters the value chain.

As India’s aluminium sector continues to expand, sustainable bauxite mining remains an important part of the industry’s broader environmental footprint and resource-management discussion.