BHP Plans Major Expansion at South Australian Copper Operations

BHP has announced a comprehensive growth strategy for its South Australian copper operations, aiming to increase output to 700,000 tonnes of copper equivalent production. This plan follows the mining giant's recent $9.7 billion acquisition of OZ Minerals.

Anna Wiley, President of Copper SA at BHP, addressed the Copper to the World conference in Adelaide, confirming that BHP is on track to meet its production guidance of 310,000 to 340,000 tonnes for its South Australian mines. The company is actively advancing the development of its Oak Dam discovery and expanding growth plans at Prominent Hill and Carrapateena mines acquired from OZ Minerals.

"In the coming years, we hope to make a final investment decision on an expansion of our existing copper refining facilities at Olympic Dam, to construct a two-stage smelter and associated refinery complex," Wiley said.

Achieving these growth targets will partly depend on the success of the multi-billion dollar Northern Water project, a partnership with the South Australian government.