Overview

• The new spending funds an underground access tunnel into the Southern Mine Area, a backfill system, expanded ore pass capacity, and a new oxygen plant to improve smelter efficiency.
• BHP is preparing a final investment decision by mid-2027 on an expansion that could lift South Australia’s copper output to about 650,000 tonnes by the mid-2030s.
• The projects are expected to create nearly 200 construction jobs and boost operational readiness at Olympic Dam in the near term.
• Olympic Dam has produced more than 300,000 tonnes of copper annually for the past three years and hosts one of the world’s largest copper, uranium, and gold deposits.
• BHP frames the work as part of its Copper SA growth plans as it builds toward a larger copper portfolio in response to rising demand from electrification.