BHP has executed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with JX Metals Corporation to develop a Green Enabling Partnership to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the copper supply chain and make it more sustainable.
Through the Green Enabling Partnership, JX Metals and BHP intend to support the continued development of a responsible copper supply chain by improving traceability and material origin verification across industry, from producers to downstream consumers like copper product manufacturers, as well as the semiconductor, information technology, and automobile sectors.
Furthermore, the Partnership proposes to advocate for a circular economy and lowering greenhouse gas emissions through the supply of copper concentrates and sulphuric acid by both parties, to promote knowledge sharing in areas such as estimating and reducing the carbon footprint of electrolytic copper, and to engage in research and development to support improved material processing and energy-efficient smelting operations.
“JX Metals’ partnerships in the downstream copper supply chain are expanding in scope,” said JX Metals Director and Deputy Chief Executive Officer Kazuhiro Hori. “Our efforts to produce more sustainable copper are centered on green hybrid smelting at the Saganoseki Smelter and Refinery, and partnerships with upstream sectors are essential to reduce our Scope 3 GHG emissions reported by JX Metals in copper concentrate production and transportation. We will respond to our stakeholders’ needs by enhancing our ESG efforts in upstream sectors through this partnership with BHP, a vital responsibility for JX Metals.”
In 2022, Pan Pacific Copper (a member of JX Metal) collaborated with BHP and Norsepower, a global provider of wind propulsion equipment for shipping, to minimise carbon emissions from the marine transportation of copper concentrates and sulphuric acid.
“At BHP, we pride ourselves on identifying and implementing innovative sustainability. We recognise that solutions are not developed in silos, and partnership and collaboration with our customers and partners across the value chain often bring about the best and most sustainable outcomes in pursuit of these goals. We look forward to working with JX Metals on the Green Enabling Partnership that aims to support further GHG emissions reduction in the supply chain for copper, one of the most critical minerals in the journey towards global net zero ambitions,” BHP Chief Commercial Vandita Pant stated.
BHP Americas President Rag Udd said, “In a world in which the demand for copper is on the rise, improving the sustainability of producing processes is a non-negotiable. The copper of our mines produced in Chile are fundamental for decarbonising the value chain and for providing the resources the world needs to enable the energy transition. BHP has made significant progress in increasing the sustainability and ESG standards of its copper production, and we always aim to deliver high-quality and responsibly produced copper. I’m sure that this partnership will benefit our customers and will allow us to go even further in our effort to decarbonise through innovative production processes.”
