Adani makes metals debut as Mundra copper unit begins ops 

Adani Group on Thursday began operations at its greenfield copper refinery in Mundra, Gujarat, marking the conglomerate’s debut in the metal industry.

Kutch Copper, a subsidiary of Adani Enterprises Ltd, began its operations as it dispatched the maiden batch of cathodes to customers.

Adani Enterprises is investing nearly $1.2 billion to set up a copper smelter with 0.5 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) capacity in the first phase. On completion of the second phase, which will add similar capacity, Kutch Copper will be the world’s largest single-location custom smelter with 1 mtpa capacity.

The unit will create 2,000 direct and 5,000 indirect employment opportunities, Adani Group said.

Adani Group chairman Gautam Adani said, “With Kutch Copper commencing operations, the Adani portfolio of companies is not only entering the metals sector but also driving India’s leap towards a sustainable and aatmanirbhar (self-reliant) future.” 

“Our speed of execution in this ambitious, super-sized project underscores our commitment to take India to the forefront of the global copper sector. We believe the domestic copper industry will play a crucial role in achieving our nation’s goal of carbon neutrality by 2070 by strengthening our green infrastructure hand in hand with mature environmental stewardship. When commissioned, our modern smelter will set new benchmarks in copper production, with an enhanced thrust on innovative green technology,” he added. 

The demand for copper will be driven by renewable energy, electric vehicles, charging infrastructure, and the development of power transmission and distribution networks.

Kutch Copper is working towards establishing Kutch Copper Tubes Ltd as part of its forward integration strategy to add copper tubes to its portfolio, which will cater to applications in air conditioning and refrigeration.

The company said it follows ESG performance standards while leveraging state-of-the-art technology and digitalisation.

The technology used by Kutch Copper is engineered to have the lowest carbon footprint, with one-third of the plant area designated as green belt space, and 15% of the capital has been allocated towards environmental protection, the company said. 

To minimize the ecological impact, the plant has implemented a zero-liquid discharge model and uses desalinated water for operations, besides recycling treated wastewater within processes to reduce waste, it added.