HIGH PROFILE
HZL accelerates growth and collaboration plans
“ We look for global partners to work with us where we exchange ideas , insights and knowledge with them in our growth journey ,” Arun Misra , Hindustan Zinc CEO , tells IM
Hindustan Zinc Ltd ( HZL ), a Vedanta Group Company and the world ’ s second largest integrated producer of zinc and lead , is in acceleration mode , embarking on aggressive expansion and collaboration plans with technology and innovation partners from across the globe .
One of the first mining companies to commit to going “ Net Zero ” by 2050 , it has a strong focus on ESG reinforced by plans to deploy battery-electric vehicles , tap into more solar and wind power potential and recycle waste heat from its captive power plants . Such ambitions are being delivered with up to $ 1 billion of finance in the next five years to “ go green ” and , by 2025 , achieve focused sustainability goals .
At the same time as it is looking to become an ESG leader , it is boosting its mine and metal production by leveraging “ smart mining ” and an extensive resource and reserve base .
IM put some questions to Arun Misra , Hindustan Zinc CEO , to find out how the company intends to deliver on its lofty ambitions . manage and we did manage well , compared to last year ’ s same quarter , which was also COVIDaffected . We had introduced various measures to change the way of working to ensure a safer working environment for the employees . We also got our workforce vaccinated along with their families to further minimise the risks associated with the pandemic .
Furthermore , the automation and digitalisation efforts at Hindustan Zinc are equipped to better withstand these testing times while ensuring quick revival to a normal level of operations .
IM : During the height of the pandemic , HZL – like other socially responsible mining companies – supported communities within or close by to its
Hindustan Zinc CEO , Arun Misra , says Hindustan Zinc has been at the forefront of ensuring personal health , be it of its employees or local communities
operations . Can you highlight some of the actions you took over this period and what impact they had ? AM : We at Hindustan Zinc have been at the forefront of ensuring personal health , be it of our employees or local communities . We have gone beyond and extended our support to the state of Rajasthan and the nation at large by contributing significantly to the PM Cares Fund and Rajasthan Chief Minister Relief Fund .
To meet the requirement of oxygen during the second wave of the pandemic , we had set up an oxygen bottling plant at our Dariba unit ( Rajsamand district ) in a record time of five days and had supplied over 14,000 cylinders of medical oxygen . We even arranged 500 oxygen concentrators to be imported and distributed for use across the state .
We had provided an insulated vaccine van to the Udaipur district medical health office to support a smooth vaccination drive and extended support to the local health administrations , by disinfecting villages by spraying and fumigating with sodium hypochlorite solution and providing medical gear like masks , sanitisers and PPE to local communities .
We even constructed an 8,000 sq . m airconditioning dome hospital , based on German technology , which has a capacity of 100 beds – including 20 ICU beds – to accommodate patients and provide them with essential COVID treatment and medical facilities .
IM : ESG is obviously a major focus area for HZL , as these examples illustrate . Where specifically
IM : HZL ’ s 2021 financial year to March 31 , 2021 , was characterised by record production volumes and profitability ; how were you able to achieve such results given the COVID-19-affected constraints on your operations ? AM : The uncertainty has evolved continuously . If I give you an example , we started the year with the uncertainty of COVID only ; that is people getting infected leading to absenteeism . It was so contagious , it spread so fast , half of our workforce were down . So , that struck us heavily , but , nevertheless , because we had experience of last year , and this time there was no lockdown of industry , we were able to figure out how to
Hindustan Zinc has embarked on a major growth push at its mining operations with six ongoing expansion projects that will see over 100 km of tunnels developed for underground infrastructure and ore access
FEBRUARY 2022 | International Mining 47