Hindustan Copper (HCL), the state-owned copper producer, plans to invest around Rs 2,000 crore over the next five to six years to expand its core mining operations. The bulk of the investment - approx. Rs 1,400–1,500 crore, will go into the Malanjkhand Copper Project (MCP) in Madhya Pradesh, with the remainder allocated to projects at Khetri (Rajasthan) and the Indian Copper Complex (ICC) in Jharkhand.

This capex excludes the revival of the Rakha and Chapri mines in Jharkhand, which are being developed through a public-private partnership (PPP) model. A JSW Group company, serving as the mine developer and operator (MDO), will invest about Rs 2,600 crore into these blocks, including a new concentrator plant.

The MCP expansion includes new underground infrastructure, a paste-fill plant, and a concentrator facility. At Khetri and ICC, efforts will focus on capacity enhancement. HCL aims to triple its ore output from four MTPA to 12.2 MTPA by FY31.

The company is also collaborating with Chile’s CODELCO and eyeing new deposits via mineral auctions.