
News Desk, News Nation 360 : India must prioritise copper discovery to fulfil rising demand and lessen reliance on imports. Currently, imports account for about 90% of the nation's copper demand, which is close to Rs 88,000 crore. According to Ghanshyam Sharma, CMD of Hindustan Copper Ltd., HCL supplies about 5% of the overall demand, with recycling providing the rest amount. To fulfil the increasing demand, Hindustan Copper plans to increase capacity from the present 4 million tonnes to 12 million tonnes during the next three to four years. Jitendra Malik, Director – Technical (Operations), Northern Coalfields Ltd, a subsidiary of Coal India Ltd. stated that until 2050 and possibly beyond, coal—which produces around 36% of the world's electricity—will be essential to India's growth and development. This is especially true if the industry can find "greener ways" to use coal. Even while coal will remain significant for many years to come in the context of the nation's entire energy mix, to attain the net-zero emissions target by 2070, it is critical to concentrate on environmental sustainability through green initiatives and increased efficiency. In the future, coal will still be important, so they need to figure out how to use it more sustainably by increasing productivity and launching green projects that will benefit the environment. Copper has unique physical and chemical qualities that never change, making it very versatile and recyclable. In India, the average yearly usage of copper is approximately half a kilogramme, compared to three kilogrammes in many other regions of the world. Due to the need for copper in electric vehicles and EV chargers, as well as ongoing technological advancements, the copper market is growing. India imported copper worth around Rs. 88000 crore. About 90% of copper is imported; HCL only supplies 5% of the needed amount, with the remaining 5% coming from economic recycling. Because there is a strong demand for copper, they must concentrate on its exploration within the nation.
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