The sanctioned Research Project is titled “Recovery and Refinement of Metals Using Traditional Indian Chemical Processes and Modern Metallurgical Validation.” The project is being undertaken under the Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS) Research Centre Project, supported by the Indian Knowledge Systems Division, Ministry of Education, Government of India.
As part of this research project, it is essential to collect and document information regarding various metal ores, their geographical and mineral sources, and the traditional Indian methods associated with their extraction, purification, recovery, and refinement. The project aims to collect different types of ores from various regions across the country and scientifically investigate traditional metallurgical practices used for the recovery and purification of metals.
Under the IKS Research Centre, various outreach, awareness, and academic programmes are also being conducted as an integral part of the project. These programmes aim to create awareness among researchers, academicians, students, traditional practitioners, and the wider community about India’s rich traditional knowledge in the fields of chemistry, metallurgy, mineral processing, and metal extraction. The project also seeks to encourage interaction between traditional knowledge holders and modern scientific researchers.
Furthermore, the project aims to document indigenous metallurgical knowledge, promote interdisciplinary research, preserve traditional scientific practices, and explore their potential applications in the development of sustainable, eco-friendly, and scientifically validated metallurgical processes. Additional objectives, research activities, field studies, ore collection, experimental validation, and outreach programmes are currently in progress as part of the continuing research work.
Asst. Prof. Dr. Ashwini Dhonge
