Kutch Copper Ltd (KCL), a subsidiary of Adani Enterprises Ltd, has entered into a strategic partnership framework with Chile’s Corporación Nacional del Cobre de Chile (Codelco) to explore copper resources at the Kaburkaala project in northern Chile. The two companies have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) outlining the key terms of cooperation for a proposed exploration partnership in the Calama copper belt, located in the Antofagasta Region, one of the world’s prominent copper-producing districts.
The MoU was signed during LME Week 2026 in London in the presence of Jeet Adani, Director, KCL; Dr Vinay Prakash, CEO, Adani Natural Resources; and Bernardo Fontaine, Chairman of Codelco.
“Critical resources, led by copper, are at the very heart of our future transformation. More than just a mining asset, we view this strategic partnership as a long-term investment in India’s future. By securing robust access to global copper resources, we are building supply chain resilience for the critical industries driving our nation’s growth—spanning renewable energy, advanced manufacturing, infrastructure, and technology. This partnership is a testament to our commitment to enhancing India’s resource security and supporting its journey to becoming a global economic powerhouse,” said Jeet Adani, Director, KCL.
“This MoU represents an important step in the work we have carried out with Adani over the past year. This process demonstrates Codelco’s ability to attract world-class partners and create value from its exploration portfolio, while safeguarding the long-term interests of the company and the State of Chile,” said Bernardo Fontaine, Chairman of the Board, Codelco.
The proposed collaboration is expected to strengthen Adani’s presence across the global copper value chain by connecting upstream resource opportunities in Chile with its copper smelting complex in Mundra, Gujarat. The initiative is also aimed at securing long-term access to copper, a critical mineral underpinning electrification, renewable energy deployment and the broader global energy transition.
Under the proposed arrangement, Adani is expected to contribute capital, technology-driven exploration capabilities and expertise in executing large-scale projects. Codelco, in turn, will bring its extensive geological knowledge and international mining experience to advance exploration activities at Kaburkaala.
For Codelco, the partnership aligns with its strategy of unlocking value from its exploration portfolio through public-private collaborations, enabling risk-sharing and accelerating the development of projects with commercial potential.
The agreement also marks a step forward in India-Chile cooperation in the critical minerals sector, as both countries increasingly focus on strengthening resource security and building resilient supply chains. Both companies have emphasised responsible exploration practices, stringent safety standards and environmental stewardship as key priorities for the proposed partnership.