UCIL to revive Jharkhand uranium recovery plant in 2026

What has been announced

Uranium Corporation of India Ltd (UCIL), a public sector company under the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), plans to set up a uranium recovery plant in Jharkhand to extract uranium from copper tailings generated by state-run Hindustan Copper Ltd (HCL). The proposal was outlined by HCL Chairman and Managing Director Sanjiv Kumar Singh in an interview with PTI. Singh said HCL has reached an understanding with UCIL under which copper tailings will be handed over to UCIL for processing. The move is positioned as an effort to augment India’s domestic supply of uranium, a strategic mineral used in nuclear power and defence applications. Industry experts cited in the report also highlighted potential environmental benefits from converting a legacy waste stream into a resource.

UCIL-HCL arrangement: how the process will work

Copper tailings are finely ground waste rock mixed with water that remains after copper minerals are extracted from mined ore. Singh said uranium is present in small quantities in HCL’s tailings, and UCIL has technically agreed that it can be extracted. Under the understanding described by the HCL chief, UCIL will process the tailings, extract uranium, and then return the treated tailings to HCL. This “process and return” arrangement is meant to ensure that material handling remains within a defined loop, with UCIL focused on recovery and HCL retaining custody of the post-processed residue.

Clearances and protocols: why timelines could be long

Singh indicated the initiative will take time because UCIL operates under the DAE and must follow atomic-energy clearances and protocols. Separately, UCIL has also been reported to have applied for environmental clearances for a uranium recovery plant from copper tailings at Mosabani with a capacity of 0.9 million tonnes per annum (TPA). In the same set of reports, UCIL said it applied to the state water resources department for meeting the plant’s water requirement and to the Jharkhand State Pollution Control Board (JSPCB) for environmental clearances. These steps underline the multi-agency approval pathway typically involved in atomic-energy linked projects.

Mosabani plant revival: site details and operating plan

UCIL has decided to revive and renovate its recovery plant at Mosabani in East Singhbhum district, where it had previously extracted uranium from waste generated by HCL’s Ghatshila operations. UCIL constructed the recovery plant in 1980, and it later shut down in 2002 when HCL closed down several mines including its concentrator plant amid a decline in international copper demand, following which UCIL also closed the recovery plant.

Reports describe the proposed Musabani Uranium Recovery Plant (MURP) as being spread over 4.158 hectares between Rangamatiya and Badia villages. UCIL’s spokesperson Stanley Hembrom said the plant would beneficiate residue received from HCL’s copper concentrator and extract uranium from it. After extraction, the remaining residue would be pumped back to HCL’s copper concentrator plant. The plant is planned to run in three shifts daily, operating 300 days a year with 22 hours of daily work, and initially produce 150 tonnes per day, with output increasing over time.

Power, water, and operational inputs mentioned

Operationally, the Mosabani plant is expected to consume 1.2 MW of power, to be supplied by the state electricity board. UCIL has also indicated it submitted necessary applications for water requirement to the state water resources department. UCIL said basic infrastructure required for the project would be newly constructed after receiving necessary clearances from concerned agencies. The company did not disclose the amount of funds required for resuming operations at the recovery plant.

Survey thresholds and linked mining decisions

In another operational detail, UCIL officials said mining at Dhobni, Kishangarhia, and Pathargoda would resume only if uranium grade is found above 150 parts per million (PPM). If the grade is lower, UCIL would issue a no-objection certificate (NOC) to Hindustan Copper to restart copper mining. UCIL also agreed in principle to restart the Musabani uranium recovery plant to prevent loss of uranium from copper concentrator tailings, and UCIL management assured that the process would begin soon after necessary surveys and approvals.

Why this matters: strategic uranium supply and waste management

Industry experts cited alongside the announcement said recovering uranium from tailings could provide an additional domestic feedstock for India’s civil nuclear programme and reduce reliance on imports. The same commentary noted that the approach can convert a waste liability into a resource while addressing legacy environmental management. Separately, the report noted India is pushing for expanded uranium production and international sourcing to support a nuclear power target of 100 GW by 2047. Against this backdrop, recovering uranium from an existing industrial stream is being presented as one more avenue to supplement supplies.

Market and company context: Hindustan Copper’s latest results

While the uranium recovery plant is a separate operational initiative, HCL’s recent financial performance provides context on the company’s current momentum. Hindustan Copper reported a 137.3% surge in net profit to INR 444.27 crore for the quarter ended March 31, 2026, supported by higher revenue. The tailings arrangement does not change HCL’s primary copper business, but it creates an additional pathway for handling tailings while supporting a strategic mineral recovery effort led by UCIL.

Key facts at a glance

Analysis: what to watch next

The main swing factor for the project is execution speed through surveys, statutory permissions, and atomic-energy protocols. The reporting points to multiple dependencies, including environmental clearance processes and water and power arrangements at the site. Another factor is the uranium grade, because UCIL has linked decisions on resuming certain mining activity to a 150 PPM threshold. Finally, the operational model described is tightly integrated with HCL’s concentrator tailings stream, because residue movement and return flows are central to how the recovery plant is expected to work.

Conclusion

UCIL’s plan to extract uranium from HCL’s copper tailings in Jharkhand combines a strategic mineral recovery objective with a defined residue-return mechanism for treated tailings. The next milestones, as described by officials, are completion of necessary surveys and receipt of approvals and clearances, after which UCIL says the process will begin.