Metal Exraction & Recycling Division is one of the main research division actively involved in fundamental research, providing technical services to various industrial needs, solving industrial problems as well as developing new processes, technologies and products for commercial uses. The division comprises of three groups as following: 

• Ferrous Processing: Iron and Steelmaking Research with emphasis on Lean Grade/Processig Wastes, Thermo-chemical Simulation Studies, Agglomeration of iron ore fines and ferruginous wastes, alternate routes for the production of direct reduced iron and improving quality of ferroalloys
• Non-Ferrous Processiing: Non-ferrous Metal Extraction by harnessing the Primary, Secondary and Lean Grade Resources with focus on strategic metals and rare earth elements
• Secondary & Resource Utilization: Valorization of Industrial Wastes and Secondary Resources for economic solution to pollution problems

The division is fully equipped with research facilities for Ferrous and Non-ferrous metallurgy including Pyro, Hydro, Electro and Bio metallurgy along with facilities for research on various kinds of secondary resources and waste utilization. The flagship activities of the division are as follows:

• Strategic metals including REE extraction from primary and secondary resources: Strategic metal sub-vertical is part of 4M theme of CSIR and involves 6 CSIR labs with CSIR-NML as nodal coordinator. The objective of this program is to develop and deploy technologies for strategic metals required for defence, space, mobility, energy, electronic and pharmaceutical sectors from indigenous and secondary resources.
• Holistic utilization of red mud: This national project was initiated under the guidance of Niti Ayog and the participants are three research institutes namely CSIR-NML (Co-ordinator), CSIR-IMMT, JNARDDC and three industries namely NALCO, HINDALCO and VEDANTA. The objective of the program is to develop technology at pilot scale to extract scandium from red mud and use other every component for gainful utilization
• Urban ore recycling centre: An unique facility has been created for pilot scale closed loop process for e-waste where precious metals and REE are extracted and other components are recycled.
• Recycling of end of life lithium batteries: Under the bulk chemical mission of CSIR, the program has been initiated along with CSIR-IMMT to extract Li, Co, Ni and Mn at one kg each and convert graphite into graphene.