Market Survey on Copper - Indian Bureau of Mines

eserves of the order of 4.23 million tonnes but a fairly good grade of 1.3% Cu. The
Cuajone deposit has estimated ore reserves of 346 million tonnes with an average
grade of 1.1% Cu and the Toquepala deposit is rich with 149 million tonnes of ore
reserves with an average grade of 0.85% Cu. Compania Minera Antamina S.A. and
Southern Copper Corporation (SCC) are the 2 major companies involved in the
production of copper in Peru. Sociedad Minera Cerro Verde S.A.A, Glencore
International A.G. etc. are other companies involved in the copper industry in Peru.
The Cerro Verde mine of Sociedad Minera Cerro Verde S.A.A. with an annual
capacity of 270 thousand tonnes and Cujone, Toquepala, Cocotea mines of Southern
Copper Corporation with a total annual capacity of 430 thousand tonnes are the major
producing mines in Peru.
The mine production of copper has increased in 2009 to 1.27 million tonnes
from 843 thousand tonnes in 2003. The production of refined copper in Peru
decreased to 423 thousand tonnes in 2009 from 517 thousand tonnes in 2003.
The exports of copper ores & concentrates from Peru were 3.03 million tonnes
(gross weight) in the year 2009 which decreased from 3.10 million tonnes in 2008.
The main destinations of Peruvian copper ores & concentrates were China, Japan,
Canada, Germany etc. India also imported 80 thousand tonnes of copper ore &
concentrates from Peru in 2009.
Peru also exports refined copper to various countries namely USA, Italy,
Netherlands, Taiwan, China, Japan etc. The total exports of refined copper from Peru
in 2009 were 401 thousand tonnes which were down by about 4.3% at 419 thousand
tonnes in 2008.
Russia
Russia has 20 million tonnes of copper reserves in terms of copper content. The
annual mining capacity of Russia is around 800 thousand tonnes. The major mining
activity is reported from Noril’sk region in Kola Peninsula and Ural Mountains. The
mine production of copper in Russia increased to 742 thousand tonnes in 2009 from
650 thousand tonnes in 2003. Russia produced 850 thousand tonnes of smelter
copper in 2009 as against 662 thousand tonnes in 2003. The general trend in the
production of refined copper in Russia was increasing with a slight decrease to 874
thousand tonnes in 2009 from 913 thousand tonnes in 2008.
Major producers of ore and metal are MMC Noril’sk Nickel, Russian Copper
Company (RCC) and Ural Mining and Metallurgical Company (UMMC). The
capacity of refined metal production of Russia is about 980 thousand tonnes.
In the world trade Russia imported 133 thousand tonnes (gross weight) of
copper ores & concentrates in 2009 as against 125 thousand tonnes in 2008 mainly
from Kazakhstan showing a slight increase. Russia also imported a small amount of
1.5 thousand tonnes of refined copper in 2009. The exports of copper ores and
concentrates (gross weight) also were very low at 30 thousand tonnes in 2009. The
exports of refined copper from Russia recorded a decreasing trend upto 2008. The
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