The Madras High Court has directed Vedanta to submit an official application to the Tamil Nadu government seeking permission to set up a green copper manufacturing plant in Thoothukudi.
The Court’s direction is a significant procedural step in evaluating the feasibility of a next-generation copper facility at a time when copper is rapidly emerging as one of the most valuable industrial resources globally.
Vedanta has stated that the proposed green copper facility will be designed around significantly enhanced environmental safeguards and global best practices. According to the company, the project envisages a hybrid production model, with a substantial share of copper to be produced through recycling of scrap and e-waste, reducing dependence on primary smelting and lowering the overall environmental footprint.
The company has also sought an order to constitute a committee comprising representatives and experts from the Central Environment Department, the Central Pollution Control Board, and other departments to study the feasibility of setting up a green copper manufacturing plant and submit a report.
"The direction passed by the Hon’ble High court of Madras to list the petition filed by the Vedanta group of companies along with the pending matters seeking clearance of wastages of sterlite industries, is a more balancing act, more importantly to deliver justice without any further delay while valuing the interests of all stakeholders," said P.R.KovilanPoongkuntran, Advocate, Supreme Court
Copper has become indispensable to modern economies, earning its reputation as the “gold” of today’s industrial sector. From electric vehicles and renewable energy systems to semiconductors, data centres, smart grids, and digital infrastructure, copper is the backbone material powering the global energy transition and technological growth.
As demand accelerates worldwide, countries with sustainable and secure copper production capabilities are gaining a strategic advantage. In this context, the High Court’s direction opens the door for Tamil Nadu to reassess its role in a resource-critical industry that will define future industrial competitiveness. As the state competes to attract investments, access to critical raw materials like copper becomes increasingly important.
The green copper proposal presents an opportunity to align industrial growth with sustainability, a balance that only a few across the globe have truly achieved. A carefully evaluated and regulated approach would allow Tamil Nadu to move towards a future-ready industrial model that balances economic growth, environmental protection, and long-term resource security.
India’s growing dependence on imported copper has highlighted the need to examine domestic, environmentally responsible production options and the Madras High Court’s direction to initiate the formal application process provides a structured framework for this assessment.