Hydromet (India) Limited [HIL], is a pioneer industry in India which was set up for the manufacture of Copper Cathodes, Copper Sulphate, Nickel Cathodes, Nickel Sulphate, Zinc Sulphate, etc… The project commenced production in the year 1997. The plant is located at Kancheepuram on the National Highway connecting Chennai to Bangalore. Production of Lead, Zinc and Tungsten in India! Lead is a widely used metal due to its malleability, softness, heaviness and bad conductivity of heat. The most important industrial use of lead is as a constituent in alloys such as type metal, bronzes and anti-friction metal. History. After Indian independence, British Indian coins were in use as a frozen currency until India became a republic in 1950.The first rupee coins of the Republic of India were minted in 1950. These included 1/2 rupee, 1/4 rupee, 2 anna, 1 anna, 1/2 anna & 1 pice coins, and are referred to as the anna series or pre-decimal coinage.Under the anna series, one rupee was divided into 16 annas