India’s copper production fell by 21.61pc or 1,06,455mt in the Jan-Nov 2019 period from the prior-year period following the closure of Sterlite Copper’s Tuticorin plant in Tamil Nadu. India produced 36,135mt of copper in Nov 2019 as against 45,244mt in the prior year, down by 20.13pc.
In the Jan-Nov period, India’s copper production slid to 33,86,087mt as against 4,92,542mt in the prior year. Production at all three Indian copper producing companies, Hindustan Copper, Hindalco and Sesa Sterlite, reported a slump in production during the period.
Sesa Sterlite, a Vedanta subsidiary, reported copper production of 6,897mt in Nov 2019 as against a targeted production of 37,860mt for the month. Sterlite’s copper smelter in Tuticorin, Tamil Nadu was shut in May 2019 after India’s Madras High Court issued order to stop production at the site.
Hindustan Copper reported copper production of 630mt in November as against the production target of 1,917mt for the month.