Hindustan Copper Plans Rs. 7,000 Crore Investment to Expand Mining and Copper Operations

Hindustan Copper Limited (HCL), India’s state-owned copper producer, is preparing to step up investments across its mining and copper operations, with more than Rs. 7,000 crore planned over the next five to six years.

The investment programme is aimed at expanding exploration, reopening previously closed mines and increasing activity in copper and critical minerals. The move comes as India looks to reduce its dependence on imported minerals and build a stronger domestic supply chain for resources that are increasingly important to infrastructure and clean energy.

HCL has made significant progress in strengthening its resource base. Over the past three years, the company has added 135.52 million tonnes of copper ore reserves and resources, taking its combined reserves and resources to 767.37 million tonnes.

The company is also looking beyond its existing mining areas. HCL is pursuing opportunities to identify new copper deposits in India and overseas, while efforts to reopen closed mines are expected to contribute to higher production capacity.

International cooperation is another part of the company’s expansion strategy. HCL has entered into a technical cooperation agreement with Chile’s state-owned copper producer CODELCO. The collaboration covers areas including mining, ore beneficiation and exploration, as well as capacity building and knowledge sharing.

Within India, HCL has signed Memoranda of Understanding with RITES, Indian Oil Corporation, Coal India, Oil India and GAIL. These partnerships are intended to support mining expansion and contribute to the broader objective of strengthening the country’s mineral security.

HCL currently holds all operating mining leases for copper ore in India and has access to around 45% of the country’s copper ore reserves and resources. The company is also India’s only vertically integrated producer of refined copper, with operations spanning mining, ore beneficiation, smelting, refining and copper rod extrusion.

The outlook for copper remains closely linked to India’s infrastructure growth. Demand from renewable energy projects, electric mobility, power networks and other clean-energy applications is expected to provide long-term support to the domestic copper industry.