Copper at a turning point: Growth, delivery and the role of government
As part of the Thought Leadership Series panel “Copper, growth and project delivery”, the conversations will explore a defining question for our sector: how to attract capital, enhance regional development outcomes and unlock new opportunity as commodity demand shifts.
Copper has rapidly emerged as one of the most strategically significant commodities of the coming decade, underpinning global electrification, decarbonisation and digital infrastructure. Against this backdrop, perspectives from government are becoming increasingly important in shaping both the pace and direction of development.
Benjamin Zammit, Deputy Chief Executive, Copper at South Australia’s Department for Energy and Mining, offers a considered view of this moment - framing it not as a simple continuation of past cycles, but as a convergence of structural forces that are reshaping the copper landscape.
A moment defined by timing and structural shifts
According to Zammit, the current phase of copper development can be best understood through one central lens: timing.
Market signals are pointing clearly to strong and sustained demand, driven in part by new applications across energy and technology, as well as the imperative to secure global supply chains. At the same time, changes in processing capability - particularly the expansion of international smelting - are influencing the demand for concentrates.
This demand dynamic is intersecting with supply-side constraints. Many global mining assets are ageing, ore grades are declining, and the pipeline of new projects is struggling to keep pace following an extended period of underinvestment. In parallel, lengthy assessment and permitting processes are shaping how companies approach growth and deploy capital in a global environment
The result is a sector placing greater emphasis on brownfield expansions and strategic acquisitions to bring copper to market as soon as possible. In this context, South Australia offers a distinct value proposition. Zammit notes the state has been steadily building capacity, with a number of both brownfield and greenfield projects progressing through permitting pipelines, helping to shorten time to market relative to new, undeveloped jurisdictions.
We have the materials, the industrial capability and the professional expertise to develop copper in a way that supports Australia’s broader industrial diversification and regional development.
The evolving role of government
Zammit characterises the South Australian Government’s approach as both proactive and long-term, with a strong focus on enabling development across the full project lifecycle.
A key element of this approach has been regulatory reform. Amendments to the Mining Act 1971 (SA) in 2021 were designed to ensure the state maintains a “best-in-class, fit-for-purpose” framework for exploration through to development, supported by accredited assessment processes. The emphasis on regulatory clarity and efficiency aims to provide greater certainty for industry participants while maintaining rigorous standards.
More recently, amendments to the Roxby Downs Indenture have been introduced to facilitate expansion at Olympic Dam and bring forward investment at other major operations, including Prominent Hill and Carrapateena. Importantly, the Indenture also introduces considerations around the processing of third-party ores and concentrates within South Australia, adding a new dimension to the state’s copper value proposition through integrated, large-scale processing capability.
Developing copper now involves proactively identifying opportunities for other commodities and value chains.
Infrastructure investment is another cornerstone of the government’s strategy. The Northern Water Project is being advanced as a critical enabler for development in the far north of the state, where multiple copper opportunities exist. By positioning infrastructure ahead of demand, the government is seeking to unlock regions that have historically faced development constraints.
In parallel, targeted land release programs are being used to accelerate exploration. Strategic ground releases in prospective regions such as the Northern Gawler Craton are being brought to market through competitive processes aimed at maximising exploration activity and discovery rates. To complement this, the development of regional Exploration Programs for Environment Protection and Rehabilitation (EPEPRs) is intended to streamline compliance requirements and allow explorers to mobilise more efficiently while maintaining environmental safeguards.
Copper as a driver of economic diversification
Beyond its immediate role as a commodity, copper is also central to South Australia’s broader economic strategy. Zammit describes it as a “key pillar” in the state’s agenda, closely aligned with ambitions to build a globally competitive ecosystem capable of supplying the materials required for decarbonisation.
The state’s project portfolio spans early-stage exploration through to tier-one operations, positioning it on the cusp of what Zammit identifies as a generational opportunity. This breadth of activity is geographically distributed across regions including the Adelaide Hills, Yorke Peninsula, the Far North and the Curnamona Province.
The potential impact extends well beyond the mining sector itself. As projects advance, they are expected to generate wider economic activity, supporting the development of regional ecosystems that create jobs, attract investment and enhance infrastructure. At sufficient scale, this level of activity becomes transformational - delivering lasting benefits that contribute to the diversification and resilience of regional economies.
Setting the stage for the discussion
As the Thought Leadership Series convenes industry leaders across mining, government and academia to examine critical sector challenges, the copper discussion sits firmly at the intersection of growth ambition and project complexity
Zammit’s perspective highlights the importance of coordinated action across policy, infrastructure and investment, to translate opportunity into outcomes. It also underscores that success in copper is no longer solely a function of resource endowment, but of how effectively jurisdictions can align regulatory frameworks, enable infrastructure and support timely project delivery.
In this context, the upcoming panel provides an important forum to explore not only the scale of the copper opportunity, but the practical pathways required to realise it.
Watch the panel discussion - Copper, growth and project delivery - from 4 July via our YouTube channel. Subscribe for a reminder and Series updates.
👉 Learn more about the Copper, growth and project delivery panel
👉 Learn more about Benjamin Zammit