Kutch Copper Ltd (KCL), a subsidiary of Adani Enterprises Ltd, has entered into a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Corporación Nacional del Cobre de Chile (Codelco) for the exploration of the Kaburkaala copper project situated in the Calama copper belt of northern Chile. This region is renowned as one of the most prolific copper districts globally. The MoU was formalised during the LME Week 2026 in London, attended by key figures including Jeet Adani, Director of KCL, Dr. Vinay Prakash, CEO of Adani Natural Resources, and Bernardo Fontaine, Chairman of Codelco.
The partnership aims to secure robust access to global copper resources, which are pivotal for India’s growth in renewable energy, advanced manufacturing, infrastructure, and technology sectors. Jeet Adani underscored the strategic importance of this collaboration, highlighting its potential to enhance India’s resource security and support its journey towards becoming a global economic powerhouse. The collaboration is viewed as a long-term investment in building supply chain resilience for critical industries in India.
For Codelco, the partnership aligns with its strategy to create value from its exploration portfolio through public-private partnerships. It reflects Codelco’s ability to attract world-class partners and accelerate the advancement of copper projects with significant development potential. Bernardo Fontaine, Chairman of Codelco, emphasised the importance of this MoU in demonstrating Codelco’s commitment to safeguarding long-term interests while creating value.
This collaboration not only strengthens ties between India and Chile in the domain of critical minerals but also represents a strategic step for Adani in building an integrated, globally diversified copper value chain. The partnership will leverage Adani’s capital, technology-led exploration, and large-scale project execution capabilities, alongside Codelco’s geological expertise and international experience. Both companies are committed to responsible exploration, maintaining high standards of safety and environmental stewardship, and fostering long-term value creation.
Market analysts view this partnership as a significant move in the global copper industry, which is crucial for the ongoing energy transition and electrification efforts worldwide. The collaboration is expected to enhance the strategic positioning of both companies in the global copper market.
