Hindustan Zinc, India’s only and the world’s largest integrated zinc producer, has achieved a significant environmental milestone by recycling 71 billion litres (71 million cubic meters) of treated wastewater from FY2016 to FY2025—equivalent to meeting the water needs of Udaipur city for over 500 days. This initiative has led to a 28% reduction in the company’s reliance on freshwater sources, reinforcing its commitment to sustainable water management.
Operating in Rajasthan, one of India’s most water-scarce states, the company has demonstrated that industrial growth and environmental responsibility can go hand in hand. With a 3.32x water-positive rating, Hindustan Zinc treats and reuses 100% of its process water, minimizing ecological impact and supporting the goals of UN Sustainable Development Goal 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation).
In collaboration with the Rajasthan Government, the company commissioned Udaipur’s first Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) in 2014 under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model. Over the years, the plant’s capacity has expanded to 60 million litres per day (MLD), becoming a critical asset in preventing untreated sewage from entering Udaipur’s lakes. The treated water, purified using biological and advanced filtration processes, is delivered through a dedicated pipeline to the company’s industrial operations.
Arun Misra, CEO of Hindustan Zinc, stated “Water is a shared resource, and we’ve taken on the responsibility of protecting it through innovation and accountability. With zero liquid discharge across all sites and robust recycling systems in place, we’re working towards halving our freshwater consumption by 2030 and ensuring complete reuse of lower-quality water in smelting operations.”
The company continues to invest in cutting-edge infrastructure to reduce its environmental footprint. In 2025, Hindustan Zinc commissioned a new 4,000 kilolitres-per-day (KLD) water treatment facility at its Rampura Agucha mine, one of the largest underground zinc mines in the world. At the Rajpura Dariba Complex, a dry tailings and paste-fill plant has further enhanced water conservation efforts.
Hindustan Zinc has extended its water sustainability approach beyond industrial operations. Through the ‘Jal Sakhi’ initiative, it has empowered women in rural areas by employing them in 13 community-run reverse osmosis (RO) water hubs, where women now make up 92% of the workforce.
In the last five years alone, the company has supplied over 61.1 million cubic meters of safe drinking water to 36 villages, positively impacting over 219,000 people. Additionally, through water conservation and recharge programs, local water storage capacity has been increased by more than 100,000 cubic meters, helping communities access clean water throughout the year.
Hindustan Zinc recently became the first Indian company to join the International Council on Mining & Metals (ICMM). For the second year in a row, it has also been ranked as the world’s most sustainable company in the metals and mining sector by the S&P Global Corporate Sustainability Assessment 2024.
These achievements underscore the company’s leadership in integrating environmental and social responsibility into its core operations. Through a combination of technology, partnerships, and community engagement, Hindustan Zinc is setting a new standard for water stewardship in heavy industries.
Hindustan Zinc Limited, a Vedanta Group company, is the world’s largest integrated zinc producer and one of the top five global silver producers. Holding a 77% share of India’s primary zinc market, the company exports to over 40 countries. It has been recognized as the world’s most sustainable metals and mining company (2024) and became the first Indian firm to join ICMM in 2025.
The company also launched EcoZen, Asia’s first low-carbon zinc brand, produced using renewable energy and with a carbon footprint 75% lower than the global average. As a certified 3.32x water-positive company, Hindustan Zinc aims to reach net-zero emissions by 2050 or earlier and continues to invest in sustainable innovation while transforming the lives of over 2.3 million people through focused CSR efforts.
