851 kt
Zinc (▲ 3%)
Key Takeaway
- Unlocked additional capacity from existing assets with minimal capital outlay through debottlenecking and throughput improvement measures
- Reduced cost of production with focus on scrap and residue sales, operational reliability, and domestic coal usage
- Technology deployment improved operational reliability, cost, and safety
- Hindustan Zinc 2.0 priorities: Scaling digital and automation deployments and brownfield debottlenecking to drive low-cost capacity growth alongside the 2x expansion
Smelters are the economic engine of an integrated metals and mining business – and ours are redefining what's possible. Our ongoing efforts to maximise output, save energy through process optimisation, and drive technology-led cost-efficiency contributed to our best-ever margins in FY2026. This year marks an inflection for our smelters, with the expansion programme moving into execution, alongside a step-change in throughput, efficiency, and reliability, which support the momentum that the next chapter of our growth requires.
Performance Snapshot FY2026
Smelter production
197 kt
Lead (▼ 13%)
627 MT
Silver (▼ 9%)
Power generation*
72.13 MU
Solar power (▲ 1%)
384.42 MU
Wind power (▲ 1%)
4,113.81 MU
Captive thermal power (▲ 2%)
285.62 MU
Waste heat recovery boiler power
(▲ 25%)
*Gross production
Excellence With Superior Smelting Technologies
Our smelters deploy advanced technologies and tools to produce high-quality zinc, lead, and silver from captive mine concentrates, supported by reliable in-house power. Digital technologies like real-time monitoring, automation, and data-led optimisation enhance process control, improve recoveries, and minimise variability. We ensure a circular and efficient operating model by effectively managing by-products (selling or captively consuming) produced during the smelting process.
Zinc grades
99.995% Zn
SHG (Special high grade)
99.95% Zn
HG (High grade)
98.65% Zn
PW (Prime western)
ZAMAK 3, ZAMAK 5,
CGG & ZAM and more
CGG & ZAM and more
Multiple value-added products
Lead grade
99.99%
Purity Lead
Silver grade
99.99%
Purity Silver
Scaling Efficiency and Operational Throughput
Smelters
Measures Undertaken
Impact Achieved
Projects completed
Debottlenecked Chanderiya (Hydro II) and Dariba hydrometallurgical plants through installing new rectifiers, cooling towers, and horizontal belt filtration (HBF) units, and major pump overhauls
21 ktpa
refined zinc production capacity unlocked, supported by an improvement
in current from 200 kA to 212 kA
Installed an oxygen plant at the sinter in the pyrometallurgical plant at Chanderiya
9 kt
additional metal production led by an enhancement in throughput by 2.2
TPH
Commissioned a new 160 ktpa roaster in Debari
Production bottlenecks removed
supported by continuous calcine feed even during roaster shutdowns,
which sustains full design throughput
Increased campaign life of the SKS plant in Dariba to the highest-ever 518 days through continuous monitoring of boiler panels and furnace brick lining
6 kt
additional metal production
20 MT
additional silver production
Highest-ever scrap and residue sale of ₹ 700 crore
US$ 93 per tonne
reduction in zinc cost of production excluding royalty
Projects under execution
Replacing the older star cooler setup with a packed gas cooling tower (PGCT) to upgrade gas-cooling capacity
3 kt
additional metal driven by a 0.8 TPH increase in throughput, enhancing
process stability and expanding sinter plant capacity
Installing an innovative hot acid leaching plant in the Dariba cell house
6 kt lead and 27 MT silver recovery
from hydrometallurgical zinc circuit by extracting low grade lead
concentrate (LGLC) from leaching
Hindustan Zinc onboarded the globally renowned YKK (Yoshida Kogyo Kabushikigaisha) team for a quality inspection of the alloy plant. The visit highlighted the areas of quality improvement, while setting the foundation for high-value, quality-driven growth
Captive Power Plants (CPPs)
Measures Undertaken
Impact Achieved
Upgraded turbine blade profile for three steam turbine generator units
3.9 MW/year
additional capacity unlocked with minimised mechanical losses
Maximised plant load factor (PLF) by operating units beyond technical feasibility
₹ 3.5 crore
cost savings in FY2026
Increased domestic coal consumption to 53% in FY2026 vs 44% in FY2025
₹ 39 crore
cost savings in FY2026
Operationalised a 4.8 MW solar plant in Dariba
100%
operationalisation of 40.70 MW, aiding renewable energy integration
Driving Tech-Powered Transformation
Technology For Better Asset Utilisation
During the year, we deployed technologies like computer vision, OT-IT convergence, and AI/ML to enhance asset utilisation.
Reliability
Sinter pallet grate bar monitoring and interlocking
Computer vision-based solution eliminates unplanned stoppages from grate bar anomalies in sinter machine pallets, improving plant availability and process stability
19%
Reduction in unplanned stoppages from the pallet grate bar
Reliability
Switchyard hotspot detection
Thermal vision-based solution replaces manual checks with real-time insights, enabling planned maintenance and sustained peak performance of switchyards
20%
Reduction in production losses from unplanned switchyard outages
Cost optimisation
Process optimisation through autonomous dosing
Deployed end-to-end OT-IT integrated, ML-based autonomous dosing system, optimising non-fuel chemical consumption across smelters
4%
Reduction in chemical consumption norms
Technology for Ensuring Sustainable Operations
During the year, we deployed technologies like robotic process automation and computer vision
Advancing Process Safety
Safety at our smelters has moved decisively from procedural compliance to engineering-led elimination of risks. Key measures undertaken in FY2026 to scale process safety include:
- Computer vision-based ladle transfer monitoring at the Chanderiya pyrometallurgical plant has resulted in 100% elimination of high-risk hot metal spillage during transfer
- Brokk machines and mini dozers are being used for periodic cleanout activities across plants, eliminating safety hazards related to manual cleaning
- Replaced manual valves with automated ones in the sulphuric acid storage tank area, eliminating operator exposure to hazardous environments
- Installed safe and reliable automatic climbing systems in wind power projects, enhancing technician safety and reducing manual climbing risks
Operating Responsibly at Scale
We advanced environmental performance at our smelters across four dimensions in FY2026:
Water conservation
- 8.49 million KL out of 8.89 million KL of water consumption is from the sewage treatment plant
- 28% recycled water usage
- Installation of a new water treatment plant along with new roaster commissioning at Zinc Smelter Debari
Clean air
- Installation of tail gas treatment plant is in progress at Chanderiya hydrometallurgical plant
Circular Economy
- 178 kt Jarosite utilised in cement industries, up 9% YoY
- 475 kt Jarofix utilised in road construction, up 41% YoY
- 101 kt reduction in Jarosite/Jarofix generation through improvement in fumer utilisation
- 2.8 kt of metal and 11.9 MT of silver produced additionally by the fumer in FY2026 as compared to 3.1 kt and 6.1 MT, respectively, during the last year
Sustainable mobility
- Expanded green fleet to 180 liquified natural gas (LNG) vehicles and 52 electric vehicles (EVs) to reduce GHG emission
