Hindustan Copper to increase mine production, says MD

State-owned Hindustan Copper Limited (HCL) will increase mine production of the metal in phases to 20.2 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) to reduce dependence on imports by the country, a top company official said on Wednesday. CMD of HCL Arun Kumar Shukla said at the company's AGM in Kolkata that the proposed expansion of Malanjkhand Copper Project (MCP) in Madhya Pradesh will augment the copper ore production capacity from two MTPA to five MTPA by developing an underground mine below the existing open pit whose life is at its fag end.

He said that the global demand for copper is expected to be on the rise in the long run due to its use in sectors like electronics, construction, industrial machinery and consumer products.

Shukla also said India has limited copper ore reserves which is about 0.31 per cent of world reserves of the metal.


The country's mining production capacity is only 0.1 per cent of the world's total, while refined copper production capacity is about four per cent of the world capacity, he added.

Shukla said that expansion of ore production to 12.1 MTPA in phase one will take seven to eight years, which would be further enhanced to 20.2 MTPA.

He said copper consumption in India is expected to grow sharply with the government's thrust on infrastructure, defence, renewable energy and electric vehicles.

Resumption of mining operations at Ghatshila, Jharkhand, will augment production in the east, he stated.