In a bid to manufacture Rare Earth Magnet indigenously, Bhaba Atomic Research Centre would be providing its technical expertise in helping Indian Rare Earth Limited set up a plant for production.

The plant is being set up at a time when India is facing challenges to import the rare earth magnet for its defence, space as well nuclear sector as it is not a signatory to non proliferation treaty.

Indian Rare Earth Limited Chairman and Managing Director R N Patra told Express that the Rs 70 crore plant will be set up at Gopalpur in Orissa.

“The plant is being built to make India self-reliant in the Rare Earth Magnet production and three departments are working together,” said Patra.

These include Indian Rare Earth Limited, Defence Metallurgical Research Laboratory, Hyderabad and Bhaba Atomic Research Centre.

Patra said that IREL would produce rare earth in oxide form and Bhaba Atomic Research Centre would convert it into alloy while DMRL would help convert it into a magnet.

This magnets such as samarium cobalt is used in atomic energy, space and defence industries for a variety of strategic and non-strategic applications. “In space applications, it could be used as gyroscope motors, as well as for propulsion system,” said Patra.

“Since we are not a signatory of NPT, we could not import it easily. For every import, India has to sign end-user agreement” said Patra, adding that with the setting up of the plant India would now be self-reliant in this technology.