Anglo American and Jiangxi Copper Company have joined forces to create sustainable value chains in the copper industry.
The two companies signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at the Jiangxi Copper headquarters in Nanchang, China.
Under the MoU, Anglo American and Jiangxi Copper will work together to provide greater assurance on the way copper is mined, processed, and brought to market.
“We are developing a series of partnerships to shape a more sustainable and customer-centric value chain – one that meets consumer-driven demand for copper with demonstrably strong provenance credentials,” Anglo American marketing business chief executive officer Peter Whitcutt said.
“That value chain begins with our portfolio of high-quality and long-life assets, now also including our world-class Quellaveco mine in Peru which began production in 2022.
“In line with our Sustainable Mining Plan goal to establish ethical value chains for our products, this collaboration aims to support Jiangxi Copper’s efforts to contribute to the Chinese industry’s long-term decarbonisation goals and transition to a greener economy, as we work to provide materials solutions that are responsibly produced, sourced and delivered.”
China currently represents over half of the global demand for refined copper, fuelled by a rapidly growing energy and electric vehicle sector.
It is expected that copper will play a vital role in the country’s decarbonisation process.
“As one of the world’s largest copper producers, Jiangxi Copper is committed to green, sustainable and high-quality development,” Jiangxi Copper deputy general manager Chen Yunian said.
“Through this cooperation with Anglo American, we will focus on advanced technologies and innovative applications of mining, processing and smelting, and promote the development of a sustainable and responsible copper supply chain with a focus on renewable energy utilisation, energy conservation and emission reduction.”