Aluminium and Copper Vision Documents
Why it Matters?
India unveiled aluminium and copper vision documents to scale up production and ensure raw material security by 2047, aligning with the Viksit Bharat goal and energy transition imperatives.
What You Should Know?
It was unveiled at an international conference in Hyderabad by Union Coal and Mines Minister G. Kishan Reddy.
It was released with an aim to build a globally competitive, environmentally responsible, and future-ready metals sector.
Aluminium Vision Document:
It aims to scale aluminium production six-fold by 2047.
It targets the expansion of bauxite production capacity to 150 million tonnes per annum.
It plans to double the aluminium recycling rate and promote the adoption of low-carbon technologies.
It focuses on strengthening raw material security through policy reforms and institutional mechanisms.
It highlights aluminium’s role in clean energy, electric mobility, and infrastructure development
India is the world’s second-largest aluminium producer but contributes only 6 percent to global output.
Aluminium:
Aluminium is a recyclable, environment-friendly metal with applications in power, transport, construction, packaging, and consumer durables.
It is the second-largest metal market in the world by volume, after iron and steel.
The aluminium industry includes both bauxite extraction and primary and secondary metal processing.
China is the world’s largest aluminium producer and consumer, accounting for 56.7% of global production in 2020.
Major end-users include engineering, transport, construction, packaging, and consumer goods sectors.
In India, aluminium demand is concentrated in the electrical and electronics sector.
Copper Vision Document:
It projects a six-fold increase in copper demand by 2047.
It plans to add 5 million tonnes per annum of smelting and refining capacity by 2030.
It focuses on scaling up secondary refining and enhancing domestic recycling.
It aims to reduce dependence on open-market imports.
It seeks to secure overseas mineral assets through global partnerships and emphasizes copper’s role in energy transition, green technologies, and infrastructure growth.
Copper:
Copper is malleable, ductile, corrosion-resistant, antimicrobial, and an excellent conductor of heat and electricity.
It occurs in Earth’s crust in sulfide (chalcopyrite, bornite), carbonate (malachite, azurite), silicate (chrysocolla), and native forms.
Copper is the second most-used non-ferrous metal globally, with 2020 demand at around 25.04 million tonnes.
The average copper ore grade globally is 0.8%, while Indian ore has a higher average grade of about 1%.
Two major copper mining methods are open-pit (80% share globally) and underground mining.
Copper concentrate usually contains 25–35% copper, along with iron, sulphur, and traces of gold/silver.
The top 3 global copper producers in 2024 are Chile, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and Peru.
The top 3 copper reserve states in India are Rajasthan (52%), Madhya Pradesh (23%), and Jharkhand (15%).
Major copper mines include the Singhbhum Copper Belt (Jharkhand), Khetri Copper Belt (Rajasthan), and Balaghat District (Madhya Pradesh).
Other copper-bearing regions are Darjeeling (West Bengal), Rungpo (Sikkim), Manipur, and Chitradurga district (Karnataka).