Vedanta Ltd plans to set up a copper smelter, with an annual capacity of 500,000mt, in India and has sought government aid for the facility. Its smelting facility in Tamil Nadu’s Tuticorin remains shut.
The company’s 400,000mt Sterlite Copper facility was shut in May 2018 over pollution concerns and resulting protests by locals. The Supreme Court had also dismissed the company’s plea to reopen the facility. The company is now scouting a new location to set up a copper smelter.
The company is seeking interest from state governments of coastal states for partnering in the smelting facility.
The move comes in the wake of the government of India’s Atmanirbhar Bharat mission to ensure that the country has unfettered access to copper through a state-of-the-art manufacturing plant.
The project will require an investment of around Rs100bn ($1.4bn) and around 1,000 acres of land in proximity to port and logistics connectivity with conveyor/corridor of rail and road to handle 5mn mt of material movement.