Overview

• BHP will spend more than A$840 million (about US$555 million) at Olympic Dam in South Australia to enhance mining access and processing efficiency.
• The funded works include an underground access tunnel into the Southern Mine Area, a new backfill system, expanded ore pass capacity, and a new oxygen plant to improve smelter performance.
• The program is expected to create nearly 200 construction jobs, reinforcing South Australia’s role in global copper supply.
• BHP is targeting a final investment decision by mid‑2027 on a smelter and refinery expansion that, if approved, aims to lift the state’s copper output to about 650,000 tonnes by the mid‑2030s.
• Olympic Dam has recently produced more than 300,000 tonnes of copper annually, and BHP says it produced over 2 million tonnes in FY2025 as it seeks to grow its copper base toward roughly 2.5 million tonnes per year.