BSNL deploys One Lakh Indigenous 4G Sites; Network 5G-Ready: Scindia (See 'Corp Brief') ECI organises EVM/VVPAT Awareness Campaign in Poll-bound States (See 'Corp Brief') Trade Marks - non-use of a mark filed on proposed-to-be-used basis is irrelevant for assessing registrability of the mark: HC (See 'Legal Desk') Medicinal Plants sector to drive Viksit Bharat 2047: MoS (See 'Corp Brief') IBC/RTI - appellant cannot seek disclosure of internal notings & replies under RTI Act when same issue has already been disposed of earlier: IBBI (See 'Legal Desk') India designated Country of the Year at BIOFACH 2026, Germany (See 'Corp Brief') Delhi-NCR to be strengthened with expansion of Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Stations (See 'Corp Brief') A&C - Applications for extending arbitral tribunal's mandate u/s 29A(4) must be filed exclusively before principal civil court of original jurisdiction: SC (See 'Legal Desk') RBI rolls out measures to strengthen Cooperative Banks' Financial Health (See 'Corp Brief') A&C - Arbitral proceedings are set to commence on date of receipt of notice invoking arbitration clause: SC (See 'Legal Desk') IWAI facilitates ODC Movement via Inland Waterways to Boost Assam's Semiconductor Ecosystem (See 'Corp Brief') A&C - Under pre-2015 amendment regime, once party consents to court order appointing arbitrator, they cannot subsequently challenge existence or validity of arbitration clause before arbitral tribunal: SC (See 'Legal Desk') Prasada inaugurates STQC Lab Automation Portal 'SATYA' (See 'Corp Brief') Indian Delegation visits Vietnam to Open New Opportunities in Silk, Sericulture & Handloom (See 'Corp Brief') Paswan releases Plastic Industry Status Report 2025 (See 'Corp Brief') Trade Mark - prior user rights override subsequent registration, particularly where adoption of deceptively similar subsequent trade mark, is not bona fide & is aimed at riding on existing goodwill of existing trade mark: HC (See 'Legal Desk') CCI registered 54 cases of anti-competitive practices in 2025 (See 'Corp Brief') National Institute of Ayurveda reaffirms role as global centre for education & patient care (See 'Corp Brief') Electronic Interlocking rolled out at 34 Railway Stations of N-E (See 'Corp Brief') PMLA - Objectives of enacting PMLA 2002, was attachment and confiscation of proceeds of crime which is quintessence so as to combat evil of money-laundering: SAFEMA (See 'Legal Desk') Khelo India Multipurpose Hall at SAI Sambhajinagar is addition to Olympic readiness: MoS (See 'Corp Brief') PM addresses community programme in Kuala Lumpur (See 'Corp Brief') A & C - mandate of arbitrators appointed unilaterally by one party, merits being terminated, where the other party explicitly refuses to waive applicability of Section 12(5) of the Act: HC (See 'Legal Desk') India-US Trade Agreement: Major boost for Textile Industry (See 'Corp Brief') IBC - In unavailability of adequate document/information and considering effect of limitation period, assigning of 'zero' value to trade receivables, without any due justification, is not appropriate: IBBI (See 'Legal Desk') India has signed MoUs with 23 countries for cooperation on Digital Public Infrastructure (See 'Corp Brief') A&C - Once arbitral tribunal has adopted plausible & reasonable interpretation of facts and contractual terms, courts cannot re-appreciate evidence or sit in appeal over award: SC (See 'Legal Desk') Railways inspects All Bridges Twice a Year (See 'Corp Brief') A&C - Permitting a civil suit to challenge an award confirmed by the Supreme Court would undermine the arbitral framework and public confidence in arbitration: HC (See 'Legal Desk') Over 1.25 lakh Livestock Farmers joined Virtual Awareness Program: MoS (See 'Corp Brief') A & C - Referral court not required to conduct detailed or contested inquiry & must limit itself to ascertaining whether underlying contract contains an arbitration clause covering disputes between the parties: HC (See 'Legal Desk') Pariksha Pe Charcha marks First-Ever multi-location nationwide engagement (See 'Corp Brief') SEBI - If Noticee violated regulation 23(1) and 23(4) of LODR Regulations as alleged in SCN, Noticee is liable for payment of monetary penalty in terms of section 15HB of SEBI Act: SEBI (See 'Legal Desk') TRAI issues Telecommunication Services Interconnection Regulations, 2026 (See 'Corp Brief') Trade Marks - Procedural defects & inadvertent errors which are curable should not be permitted to defeat substantive rights, unless shown to be deliberate, mala fide, or prejudicial to opposite party: HC (See 'Legal Desk') The Securities Markets Code, 2025: Strengthened Enforcement, Weakened Accountability? (See 'CORP EINSICHT')

Copper Quality Control Order: A step towards Atma Nirbharta

Published: Dec 07, 2024

By TIOLCorplaws News Service

NEW DELHI, DEC 07, 2024: TO strengthen the quality control eco-system for non-ferrous metals sector (including Copper) in the country, the Ministry of Mines notified the Copper (Quality Control) Order on 31 st August, 2023, along with Quality Control Orders (QCOs) for Aluminium and Aluminium Alloys and Nickel. Initially the QCOs including Copper QCO were to come into force after three months from the date of its notification i.e. 30.11.2023.

Thereafter, basis the requests received from industry stakeholders including user sector industry and taking into account the supply situation, this order was extended vide notification dated 3 rd November, 2023 by six months (i.e.1.6.2024) and subsequently, by another six months vide notification dated 3 rd May, 2024 i.e. 1.12.2024. The Ministry has held several interactions with concerned stakeholders on regular basis through series of meeting(s) with industry bodies and user sector industries during the month of October, 2023; January, 2024; May, 2024; September, 2024; and October, 2024. Secretary (Mines) held a meeting with DG BIS on 17.1.2024 in which besides BIS & Ministry officials, industry representatives also attended. Thus, a sufficient period of 15 months, from 31 st August, 2023, onwards was allowed to the domestic and foreign suppliers of Copper cathodes to obtain the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) certification.

In FY 2023-24, India imported about 363 Thousand Tonnes (THT) of refined copper cathode (HS Code: 740311), valued at Rs. 24,552 crore. Japan accounts for about 2/3 rd (67%) of the refined copper imports. In quantity terms, about 69% of India's refined copper imports come from Japan. Tanzania is India's second important source of refined copper, contributing about 18% of the imports; followed by Mozambique with a share of about 5%.

M/s Adani's Kutch Copper Refinery has since come into production. However, as per company officials, ramp-up to full capacity will require some more time (about Feb-March 2025). Once achieved, India will be self-sufficient in refined copper, and will not have to rely on imports. Till that time, some amount of import of refined copper will take place.

As of now, 7 applications from Japanese smelters have been received for BIS certification, of which one smelter (Sumitomo Metal Mining Co. Ltd.) has already been granted license. As per information received from BIS, two more licenses will be granted by next week.

Presently, four domestic suppliers namely, Adani's Kutch Copper Ltd, Hindalco Industries Ltd, Gujarat Victory Forgings Pvt Ltd & Vedanta Ltd and four foreign suppliers, one each from Japan and Austria, and two from Malaysia have been certified by BIS to supply copper cathode to Indian market. Thus, with 4 domestic BIS certified suppliers & 4 foreign BIS certified suppliers and another two certifications by mid of Dec, 2024, no serious supply side constraint is envisaged.

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