Hindustan Copper Ltd. is a central public sector undertaking under the ownership of the Ministry of Mines, Government of India.

HCL is the only vertically integrated government-owned-copper producer in India engaged in a wide spectrum of activities ranging from mining, beneficiation, smelting, refining and continuous cast rod manufacturer.

In 1972 Indian Copper Corporation Limited, Private Sector Company, located at Ghatsila, Jharkhand with Smelter and Refinery was Nationalized and made part of HCL.

HCL also produces gold, silver, nickel sulphate, selenium, tellurium and fertiliser as by products.

On 29 June 2012, CMD of the company said that construction of a smelting refinery at Visakhapatnam with an annual capacity of 600,000 tonne at a cost of ₹20 billion is under consideration.