Maximising SA’s copper opportunity
South Australia’s total copper exports reached a new record value of $5.3 billion in the year to June 2026, new figures show.
It comes as a historic indenture agreement between the Malinauskas Government and BHP is proclaimed into law, paving the way for South Australia to become one of the world’s greatest copper provinces.
The proclamation formalises the update of the more than 40-year-old indenture agreement guiding development at Olympic Dam and the copper-rich Gawler Craton.
This significant legal framework comes as the Australian Bureau of Statistics reports energy and mining goods exports reached a record $7 billion, up $1.2 billion (21.1%) in 2025-26, with copper the major contributor to the growth.
Total copper exports, including refined copper as well as copper ores and concentrates, reached $5.3 billion in the year to June 2026.
It follows the passage of the indenture legislation through state parliament, where all but two of the state’s 69 parliamentarians backed the Bill.
It ensures there is cross-party support and a strong legislative framework for South Australia to unlock the unprecedented value of the state’s vast copper, gold, silver and uranium assets.
Improvements to the Indenture now provide clearer regulatory pathways for future activities in BHP’s Copper Province, including approval processes for expansion projects, environmental and heritage management, as well as the operation of the Roxby Downs township.
The changes include commitments to transitioning to the current Aboriginal Heritage Act, ameliorating water extraction and maximising local jobs and business opportunities.
South Australia is home to two thirds of Australia’s proven copper deposits, creating a generational opportunity to maximise the benefit of this critical mineral for our entire state.
Quotes
Attributable to Tom Koutsantonis
The export figures continue to tell a clear story – the world wants copper, and we are uniquely poised to supply it,
The expansion of this highly prospective Copper Province can unlock projects with the potential to extend into the next century, supporting the state’s economy for decades.
The updated indenture agreement was unanimously endorsed by a cross-party committee before receiving the overwhelming backing of the South Australian Parliament.
Its proclamation as an Act now formalises the modernisation of a regulatory framework that was first enacted more than four decades ago.
By doing this, we also provide BHP the investment certainty it needs to make the significant investments necessary to expand copper mining and production in its South Australian operations.
The company has forecast capital expenditure of up to $25 billion in South Australia over the next 10 years, with most of that going towards significantly increasing copper production.