Copper Vision Document

Union Minister for Coal and Mines, Shri G. Kishan Reddy, released the Copper Vision Document at the International Conference on Sustainable and Responsible Mining through Best Mine Closure Practices in Hyderabad. The document outlines India’s strategic roadmap for meeting its burgeoning copper demand and boosting its manufacturing capabilities for a sustainable future.

Key Points from the Copper Vision Document:

• Strategic Importance: Shri Reddy highlighted copper’s vital contribution to:
  • India’s energy transition.
  • Infrastructure growth.
  • Green technologies, such as electric vehicles and solar power.
• Long-Term Strategy: The Vision Document provides a long-term strategy aimed at meeting India’s growing domestic demand while simultaneously ensuring raw material security.
• Demand Projection: It anticipates a six-fold increase in copper demand by 2047.
• Capacity Expansion Plan: The document outlines plans to add 5 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) of smelting and refining capacity by 2030.

About Copper:

• Properties: Copper is a malleable and ductile metallic element. It is an excellent conductor of heat and electricity, and is also corrosion resistant and antimicrobial.
• Natural Occurrence: Copper occurs naturally in the Earth’s crust in various forms:
  • Sulfide deposits (e.g., chalcopyrite, bornite, chalcocite, covellite).
  • Carbonate deposits (e.g., azurite and malachite).
  • Silicate deposits (e.g., chrysycolla and dioptase).
  • As pure “native” copper.
• Global Usage: Copper is the second largest non-ferrous metal by usage, with global demand for refined copper at approximately 25.04 million tonnes in 2020.
• Global Production (2020 data):
  • Chile accounted for almost a third of global copper mine production.
  • Peru accounted for 10% of world mine production.
• India’s Status:
  • Hindustan Copper Limited (HCL) is currently the only producer of copper ore in India.
  • India is not self-sufficient in copper mineral due to its low reserve/resource base, making it reliant on imports for its copper needs despite having robust refining capacity.