EXPLORING CONGO FOR COPPER

EXPLORING CONGO FOR COPPER

EYES ON CONGO FOR COPPER

• A G2G MoU between India and the DRC – Democratic Republic of Congo
• DRC going to host the International Mining Conference
• India aims to explore and extract these minerals essential for industries like electric vehicles and renewable energy potentially and commercially.

The DRC’s Copper & Cobalt

• Congo is a leading global supplier of cobalt and a significant copper producer.
• Indian officials have also highlighted similar successful agreements, such as the acquisition of lithium blocks in Argentina.
• It is a continued strategy of India to secure critical mineral resources through partnerships and investments.
• Copper, a base metal, is used in power cables, wind turbines, electric vehicles, and solar panels, and it is the key material for energy transition
• Cobalt is a key car battery-making metal (used to make lithium-ion batteries).
• Mining for copper is costly and tedious affair because most of the copper ores contain a small percentage of the metal.
• India has low-grade copper ore [less than 1% metal content] [international average 2.5%]
• The major part of supply comes from the USA, Canada, Zimbabwe, Japan and Mexico

• Copper is a malleable, ductile metal known for its excellent heat and electricity conductivity. It possesses corrosion resistance and antimicrobial properties.
  • Malleability refers to the ability of a material to be pressed, or rolled into thin sheets without breaking or cracking.
  • Ductility is the property of a material that allows it to be stretched or drawn out into a thin wire without losing its strength or breaking.

Applications of Copper

• It is widely utilised in construction, consumer durables, transportation, and industrial manufacturing. It is also Integral to clean energy technologies such as Solar Panels, Electric Vehicles (EVs), and energy-efficient motors.
• It is a 100% recyclable metal (allows for a circular economy).

India’s demand for copper

• India's demand for copper is soaring due to rising infrastructure projects, renewable energy initiatives, and urbanisation.Despite this, the country heavily relies on copper imports due to limited domestic reserves.
• To address this, the government is promoting investments in smelters and refineries while Indian companies are acquiring copper mines abroad to secure a stable supply and reduce dependence on international markets.
  • Recently, the Ministry of Mines has proposed sending an Indian industry delegation to copper-rich Zambia to discuss potential copper exploration and mining projects in the southern African country
  • Recognizing copper's criticality, the government has included it in its list of critical minerals, highlighting the need to reduce import dependence.

Copper Reserves in India

Madhya Pradesh - 1st in production [59.85 %].

• Malanjkhand copper mines of Balaghat district are the most important ones.
•  Reserves of moderate size are also found in the Betul district.

Rajasthan - 2nd in production [28%]

• Found along the Aravali range.
•  Khetri-Singhana belt in Jhunjhunu district is the most important copper-producing area.

Jharkhand - 3rd in production [11%].

• Singhbhum is the most important copper-producing district.
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