Bhp Weighs $20 Billion Copper Expansion In South Australia
Around 500 Kilometres North Of Adelaide Sits Olympic Dam, One Of The World’S Largest And Most Valuable Copper Deposits. It’S A Long-Running Operation In The Heart Of South Australia’S Outback, And A Critical Asset In Global Copper Supply.
Linking Olympic Dam With Oak Dam
Bhp’S Latest Studies Investigate Connecting Olympic Dam With Oak Dam — A High-Grade Copper Discovery Located Nearby. If Developed Together, The Two Sites Could Form A New Copper Hub Capable Of Lifting South Australia’S Production For Decades.
A Project Facing Big Challenges
Despite The Scale Of The Opportunity, Several Challenges Are Slowing Progress. Rising Energy Costs, Limited Water Availability, And Ongoing Infrastructure Constraints All Add Complexity To The Project. Water Supply In Particular Remains A Key Issue In The Region, With Any Major Expansion Likely Requiring New Pipelines Or Desalination Investment.
Could This Be Australia’S Next Pilbara?
If Bhp Overcomes These Hurdles, South Australia Could Become Home To A Copper Province On The Scale Of The Pilbara’S Iron Ore Industry. With Global Demand For Copper Surging, The Region’S Long-Term Potential Is Significant — But Turning It Into Australia’S Next Major Mining Hub Will Depend On Solving Today’S Bottlenecks.
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