BHP, China Copper, and Daye Nonferrous have inked Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) to establish a more sustainable and responsible copper value chain to support the energy transition.
The MoUs are intended to allow the parties to use their knowledge in exploring the potential to minimise the environmental footprint, increase material and energy efficiency, and control waste streams in the copper production process. The proposed collaboration’s non-exclusive nature aims to facilitate more comparable collaborations with industry peers and downstream customers.
Through the collaboration, the parties plan to create technologies and innovations for copper smelting and refining, including low-carbon emission fuels, increased heat and energy efficiency, lower intensity byproduct reuse and recycling, digitalisation of processes, and enhanced traceability.
“Copper demand is expected to increase significantly to support the megatrends of decarbonisation and electrification. While BHP supplies the growing market, it is equally important for us to do so in a more sustainable and responsible way, and collaboration with key industry value chain partners plays a vital role,” BHP Chief Commercial Officer Vandita Pant said.
Pant stated that as two of the leading copper producers globally, China Copper and Daye Nonferrous, are actively pursuing projects supporting China’s sustainable development and decarbonisation goals, and BHP is pleased to be working with them.
China Copper Chairman, Xu Bo, said: “At the first session of the 14th National People’s Congress, China reaffirmed its commitment to green and low-carbon growth and highlighted the importance of corporate partnerships’ role in achieving the “dual carbon” goals. China Copper has been committed to working with upstream and downstream companies along the industrial chain to promote coordination and innovation for carbon reduction. Leveraging lower-carbon, and energy-conserving practices, China Copper has led various dual-carbon initiatives to achieve the common vision of building a beautiful community. Today’s MoU signing on ‘collaboration in copper value chain’ will increase the depth and breadth of cooperation between the two companies, which will give impetus to China Copper’s efforts to achieve more sustainable, high-quality growth. In the future, China Copper will continue to explore opportunities for exchange and accelerate cooperation in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and building a more sustainable copper value chain.”
CNMC Daye Chairman, Wang Yan, stated, “The copper smelting industry needs an open, global platform to explore and share new technologies and insights of innovations in smelting and refining, and to showcase efforts by all parties upstream and downstream along the industry for a shared future. Today’s MoU signing on ‘collaboration in copper value chain’ with BHP will further strengthen and broaden our existing strategic partnership, create models of international collaboration on technology innovation and for improving sustainability across the whole copper industry value chain.”
The signatories for the MoUs were BHP CCO Vandita Pant, CNMC Daye’s VP of Non-ferrous Metals Group, Xiao Shuxin and China Copper VP, Ma Huizhi, and the ceremonies were witnessed by BHP CEO Mike Henry, China Copper Chairman, Xu Bo and CNMC Daye Chairman, Wang Yan.
