Hindustan Copper Expands Mining Capacity to Boost Domestic Copper Production

Hindustan Copper (HCL) is moving forward with major expansion projects aimed at increasing its copper mine production capacity to 12.2 million tons per annum (MTPA), a move that will significantly enhance India's domestic copper output.

One of the key components of this expansion is the development of an underground mine beneath the existing open cast mine at the Malanjkhand Copper Project (MCP) in Madhya Pradesh. This will double ore production capacity at MCP from 2.5 MTPA to 5 MTPA. The project transitioned from open cast to underground mining in 2023-24, with ore production reaching 2.25 million tons during the ramp-up phase.

Expansion plans are also in place for the Khetri and Kolihan mines in Rajasthan, which will see an increase in ore production from the current 1 MTPA to 3 MTPA. In the fiscal year 2023-24, Hindustan Copper recorded a total ore production of 3.78 million tons, up from 3.35 million tons the previous year.

Additionally, the Surda Mine in Jharkhand is set to boost its output from 0.4 MTPA to 0.9 MTPA as part of the company’s ongoing capacity expansion efforts.