New Delhi, Sep 2 (IANS): The four-day 10th international conference on minerals and metallurgy supported by seven ministries will be inaugurated here Thursday by Steel and Mines Minister Narendra Singh Tomar as a business platform towards realising the national target of achieving 300 million tonnes of steel capacity by 2025-26.

"The Indian Institute of Metals is organising the 10th edition of Minerals, Metals, Metallurgy and Materials International Exhibition and Conference (MMMM 2014) keeping the business potential in consideration," said a release here.

The conferenc is co-sponsored by the ministries of steel, mines, earth sciences, commerce, heavy industries, external affairs and micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME).

At the inauguration, Tomar will also launch the "World Metal Forum", whose patron-in-chief will be state-run steelmaker Steel Authority of India (SAIL) chairman C.SVerma, the release added.

MMMM 2014 will feature dedicated country pavilions from China, Europe and Russia and is expected to draw over 300 exhibitors, 700 delegates and 15,000 trade visitors from 35 countries, the organisers said.

Regarding the business potential, the organisers said that as one million tonne crude steel capacity addition requires investment of Rs.4,000 crore, for adding 300 million tonne capacity by 2025-26, the industry would require investment of over Rs.800,000 crore.