India’s largest copper miner, Hindustan Copper Ltd. (HCL), is set to send its top executives to visit six to seven CODELCO mines in Chile over the next two to three months as the company ramps up efforts to achieve its long-delayed target of 12 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) production by 2030.
A collaboration between India’s state-run HCL and Chile’s CODELCO (Corporación Nacional del Cobre de Chile), the world’s largest copper producer, provides HCL an opportunity to boost its reserves and accelerate capacity expansion at home — critical for the miner, which has seen sluggish growth in recent years.
According to HCL officials, the two companies are now working closely, sharing knowledge and workforce expertise to address gaps in Hindustan Copper’s mining methods, best practices, and technological upgrades. The upcoming visit to Chile’s large copper reserves is expected to strengthen technical know-how, enhance strategic dilution control, scale up production more efficiently, and raise safety standards across HCL’s operations.
The HCL delegation is likely to tour key CODELCO sites such as Chuquicamata — the world’s largest open-pit copper mine — El Teniente, the world’s deepest underground copper mine, and Andina, known for its high-grade sulphide ore processing. Other operations under consideration include Salvador, which focuses on copper-gold concentrates using innovative metallurgical techniques; Los Bronces, which optimizes heap leaching for both sulphide and oxide ores; and Radomiro Tomic, recognized for its advanced solvent-extraction and electrowinning processes that produce high-purity copper cathodes.
While HCL’s visit is planned for later this year, a five-member CODELCO delegation is currently in India until July 11, 2025. Led by CODELCO’s Director of South Chile & International Explorations, Angelo Aguilar Catalano, the team of top geologists is conducting extensive operational reviews across Hindustan Copper’s mines. Sources say the team is evaluating workflows, assessing equipment modernization strategies, and will submit an interim report to HCL’s corporate office by July 10, 2025.
This collaboration follows a key Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between HCL and CODELCO on March 1, 2025. The agreement focuses on sharing technical expertise and best practices in exploration, mining, mineral beneficiation, employee training, and capacity building.
Hindustan Copper, India’s largest copper producer, has long struggled with aging infrastructure and underperformance. Its partnership with CODELCO — the world’s leading copper producer — signals India’s intent to modernize the mining sector and strengthen self-reliance in critical mineral production.
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