SA plan to triple copper production

South Australia wants to triple annual copper production and exports to more than $8 billion by 2030.

The ambitious target could also increase SA's copper workforce to 15,000, Premier Jay Weatherill said.

The industry employed 5000 workers in 2014/15 with the state exporting $1.9 billion of copper.

Mr Weatherill said SA already hosted almost 70 per cent of Australia's copper resources at Olympic Dam, Prominent Hill, Kanmantoo and Carrapateena.

"By trebling our copper production, we have the potential to create up to 10,000 extra jobs," he said.

"This would equate to South Australia producing and exporting more than $8 billion of copper per year, with the red metal remaining the state's number one export commodity."