BHP and JX Metals Corporation have signed a Memorandum of Understanding aimed at decarbonising the copper supply chain.
The two companies will develop a Green Enabling Partnership to support a responsible copper supply chain through greater traceability and material origin verification. The effort will focus on downstream producers and consumers across different industries, such as copper product manufacturers, as well as the semiconductor, information technology and automobile industries.
The partnership also advocates for circular economic practices and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) through copper concentrates and sulphuric acid supply between both parties. The companies will also promote knowledge sharing relevant to reducing the carbon footprint of electrolytic copper, and will engage in research and development to support improved material processing and energy efficient smelting operations.
“Our efforts to produce more sustainable copper are centred on green hybrid smelting at the Saganoseki smelter and refinery,” said JX Metals director and deputy chief executive officer Kazuhiro Hori.
“Partnerships with upstream sectors are essential to reduce our scope 3 emissions reported by JX Metals in copper concentrate production and transportation.
“We will respond to our stakeholders’ needs by enhancing our environmental, social and governance efforts in upstream sectors through this partnership with BHP.”
“At BHP, we… recognise that solutions are not developed in silos, and partnership and collaboration with our customers and partners across the value chain often bring about the best and most sustainable outcomes in pursuit of these goals,” BHP chief commercial officer Vandita Pant said.
“We look forward to working with JX Metals on the Green Enabling Partnership that aims to support further GHG emissions reduction in the supply chain for copper, one of the most critical minerals in the journey towards global net zero ambitions.”
