Udaipur: Hindustan Zinc Limited, a Vedanta Group company, has achieved a historic milestone by becoming the world’s largest integrated zinc producer. Marking 23 years since its privatization, Vedanta Chairman Anil Agarwal shared the journey on social media, calling it the beginning of a new era for India’s resource independence and industrial strength. With a diverse portfolio of metals, including zinc, lead, and silver, Hindustan Zinc has consistently achieved over one million tonnes of metal production annually for the past three years and one million tonnes of MIC for four consecutive years, reflecting its steady rise to the top of global rankings. HZL was the world’s second largest zinc producer in 2024.
 

23 years ago, a new era began. Zinc was in high demand, but India had low production and a huge import duty of 40%.

In 2002, the government made a bold move by privatizing @Hindustan_Zinc and gave us a chance. Within a year, without a single retrenchment, profits grew by 113%.… pic.twitter.com/tmqRYtysqd

— Anil Agarwal (@AnilAgarwal_Ved) April 10, 2025

Hindustan Zinc’s journey began with bold reforms and a strong vision of value creation. It has been at the forefront in global zinc and silver production and stands as one of India’s most successful disinvestment stories since the Vedanta Group acquired a controlling stake in 2002. With over 75% of India’s primary zinc market share, the company continues to drive growth in the sector. In addition, it is also credited with driving a 15-fold increase in India’s silver production, thanks to the focused efforts of its engineers and experts.
 

Beyond industrial achievement, HZL’s presence in Rajasthan has powered widespread economic and social progress. “In Rajasthan, lakhs of livelihoods have been created, over 1000 allied industries have come up, and ₹1.7 lakh crore has been contributed collectively to the state and nation’s treasury. Along with economic and social progress, the environment has also improved, and today Rajasthan, the Sunshine State, shines even brighter,” Agarwal shared.
 

Hindustan Zinc’s ascent to the top is powered by its fully integrated operations and the advanced use of artificial intelligence, which have transformed ore extraction, processing, and metal production, resulting in significant gains in efficiency and output. As zinc and silver play an increasingly crucial role in emerging technologies, Hindustan Zinc continues to explore new applications to support the global energy transition. Zinc’s corrosion resistance makes it indispensable for galvanizing steel in infrastructure, automotive, renewable energy, and defense, while silver’s superior conductivity fuels advancements in solar energy, AI, biotechnology, and high-tech manufacturing. This milestone reinforces Hindustan Zinc’s role in ensuring a stable global supply of high-quality zinc for critical industries.
 

BI Bureau