See, you might have heard that copper is one of the most essential and useful metals out there, especially for us humans, right? Well, it can be molded in any shape, it conducts heat very well, the electricity efficiency is also pretty good with copper, and there are so many other things why we use copper. Just look around yourself, if you are holding a device to read this post, chances are, this device of yours has copper metal used in it. And those wirings in your house or office? Yes, those too have copper inside them. And thankfully, India doesn’t need to import as much copper as other nations because we also have a few large-scale mines in the country. And today, with this post about the top 5 copper mines in India as of 2024, we will talk about just that. So, here we go.
1. Malanjkhand Copper Mine
If you don’t know yet, well, the biggest copper mine in India is the Malanjkhand Copper Mine, which is located in Madhya Pradesh. In this mine, which is the biggest in the country, about 80% of copper is produced here and it is actually run by Hindustan Copper Limited (HCL). It has been operational since 1982 and plays a significant role in India’s copper production. Now, the mining area is being expanded further and the project is planned to proceed via production from 2.2 million tonnes to 5 million tonnes a year, for which the government will help the company to first extend the processing of the ore and second improve the old mines. And just so you know, in 2023, this mine produced about 17.62 thousand tonnes of copper.
2. Kolihan Copper Mine
The Kolihan Copper Mine in Rajasthan, part of the Khetri Copper Complex, is the next on the list. The mining activity here is primarily conducted underground which is reliable for copper production in India. But, in May 2024, an accident in which a lift collapsed was reported and a senior official died. This unfortunate incident triggered awareness of the dangers of deep mining and the need for more workplace safety strategies, especially with mining works. Notwithstanding this mishap, Kolihan still had a good year in 2023 with about 3.05 thousand tonnes of copper.
3. Khetri Copper Complex
The Khetri Copper Complex is the third, which is also in Rajasthan. It is one of the oldest copper mining sites in India, and it includes the Khetri and Kolihan mines. Since the 1960s, the Khetri mine has been in the copper industry of India. The complex obtained around 2.87 thousand tonnes of copper in 2023. For sure, the Khetri Copper Belt is rich in copper minerals where this complex is situated, thus making it an important area for copper mining, it may not be the biggest copper mine in the country, but it sure holds quite a bit of significance.
4. Banwas Copper Mine
Just so you know, this mine started operating in 2017 but then it became an integral part of HCL’s copper production within just a few years. It has a capacity to produce 600,000 tonnes of copper ore in a year. Though, according to statistics, Banwas Copper Mine produced about 1.87 thousand tonnes of copper in 2023. The mine has also been significantly improved and the fact that it is located in the Lethy Copper Belt means that HCL considers it enriched by nature.
5. Surda Copper Mine
Surda was the owner of a long history but went into the void for a while, after which it reopened the door in June 2022. The mine’s reopening after being closed temporarily was a breath of fresh air for the local populations who had their livelihood depending on the mine, you know? And yes, the recent year was kinda a hit where Surda produced 1.54 thousand tonnes of copper in 2023. The mine is sure going to increase the amount of its production, and on top of that, it would give the main area an additional benefit mainly because of the employment it would generate.
Conclusion
There you have it. These are by far the biggest and most significant copper mines in the country right now. And we hope that with this list, you got to know a little more about the copper mining scene in India.
