The World Copper Factbook 2020

The World Copper Factbook 2020

THE WORLD COPPER FACTBOOK 2020

INTERNATIONAL COPPER STUDY GROUP
International Copper Study Group
Chapter 5: Copper Trade 27
Table of Contents
About ICSG i
Major International Trade Flows of Copper Ores and Concentrates
Major International Trade Flows of Copper Blister and Anode
28
29
Major International Trade Flows of Refined Copper 30
ICSG Officers and Secretariat ii Leading Exporters and Importers of Semi‐Fabricated Copper 31
ICSG Publications iii
Chapter 1: Cu Basics 1
Products, 2019
Chapter 6: Commodity Copper: Exchanges, Prices and Stocks 32

What is Copper? 1 Copper Stocks, Prices and Usage (Jan 2001 ‐ Jun 2020) 33
Copper Properties and Benefits 2
Selected Copper Definitions
Copper in History
3
4
Chapter 7: Copper Usage
How is Copper Used?
34
34

Copper Today 5 World Refined Copper Usage, 1900‐2019 35
Refined Copper Usage by Region, 1960 versus 2019 36
Chapter 2: Copper Resources and Long‐Term Availability of Copper
Copper Reserves and Resources
6
6
World Refined Copper Usage per Capita: 1950‐2019
Intensity of Refined Copper Usage
37
38

Are We Going to Run Out of Copper 8 Total Copper Usage, Including Copper Scrap, 2008‐2018 39
Chapter 3: Copper Production
How is Copper Produced?
9
9
Major Uses of Copper: Electrical
Major Uses of Copper: Electronics and Communications
Major Uses of Copper: Construction
40
41
42

Copper Mine Production: World Copper Mine Production, 1900‐2019 10 Major Uses of Copper: Industrial Machinery and Equiptment 43
Copper Mine Production by Region: 1960 versus 2019
Copper Mine Production by Country: Top 20 Countries in 2019
11
12
Major Uses of Copper: Consumer and General Products
Major Uses of Copper: Transportation
44
45
Trends in copper Mining Capacity, 2000‐2024 13 Electric Vehicles 45
Top 20 Copper Mines by Capacity, basis 2020 14 Growth Markets for Copper Usage 46
Constraints on Copper Supply
Copper Smelter Production: World Copper Smelter Production 1980‐
15
16
Major Uses of Copper, 2019
World Copper & Copper Alloy Semis Production, 1980‐2019
47
48

2019 Copper and Copper Alloy Semis Production by Region, 1980 & 2019 49
Trends in Copper Smelting Capacity, 2000‐2024 17 Copper and Copper Alloy Semis Capacity by Region & Product 2020 50
Copper Smelter Production by Region, 1990‐2019
Copper Smelter Production by Country: Top 20 Countries in 2019
18
19
Copper and Copper Alloy Semis Production by Country: Top 20
Countries, 2020
51

Top 20 Copper Smelters by Capacity, basis 2020 20
Chapter 8: Copper Recycling 52
World Refined Copper Production, 1960‐2019 21
Trends in Refined Capacity, 2000‐2024
Refined Copper Production by Region, 1990‐2019
22
23
Copper Recycling Rate Definitions
Global Copper Use (incl. Recycling), 2010‐2018
53
54

ICSG Global Copper Scrap Research Project and recent scrap reports 55
Refined Copper Production by Country: Top 20 Countries in 2019 24 Industry Global Flows of Copper (2018) and Derived Recycling Rates 56
Top 20 Copper Refineries by Capacity, basis 2020 25 The Flow of Copper 57
Chapter 4: Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in Mining 26 ANNEX
What is Corporate Social Responsibility? 26 World Copper Production and Refined Usage, 1960‐2019 59
Why is CSR Important? 26 ICSG Publications Order Form 60
THE W
The current members of ICSG are:
About ICSG
Australia Japan

Belgium Luxembourg
The International Copper Study Group (ICSG) was formally established Brazil Mexico
as an autonomous inter‐governmental organization on 23 January
Chile Mongolia
1992, following a series of Ad Hoc meetings sponsored by the United
China Peru
Nations (UNCTAD) in 1986 and 1987 to review the world situation of
DR Congo Poland
copper and discuss the need for such a body. ICSG serves to increase
European
copper market transparency and promote international discussions Portugal
Union
and cooperation on issues related to copper.
Finland Russian Federation
In order to fulfill its mandate, the Study Group has three main France Serbia
objectives: Germany Spain
India Sweden
 Increase market transparency by promoting an exchange of
Iran United States
information on production, consumption, stocks, trade, and prices
Italy
of copper, by forecasting production and consumption, and by

assessing the present and future capacities of copper mines,
plants, smelters and refineries. As part of its mandate to provide a global forum where industry and
 Promote international cooperation on matters related to copper, governments can meet and discuss common problems and objectives,
such as health and the environment, research, technology ICSG meetings are held twice per year, typically in the Spring and Fall
transfer, regulations and trade. at ICSG Headquarters in Lisbon, Portugal. The meetings of the Study
 Provide a global forum where industry and governments can meet Group are open to government members, their industry advisors and
and discuss common problems/objectives. The ICSG is the only invited observers.
inter‐government forum solely dedicated to copper.

International Copper Study Group i

ICSG Officers and Secretariat
INTERNATIONAL COPPER STUDY GROUP OFFICERS FOR 2020 STATISTICAL COMMITTEE
Chairperson Mr Mitsunori Fukuda (Japan)

Chairperson Mr Daniel Flanagan (U.S.A.)
Vice Chairperson Mr Li Yusheng (China)
Vice Chairperson Ms Manuela Ramirez (Spain)
Vice Chairperson Ms Cao Mingyue (China)
STANDING COMMITTEE
INDUSTRY ADVISORY PANEL
Chairperson Mr. Jorge Cantallopts (Chile)
Vice Chairperson Mr Marcello Saralli (Italy) Chairperson Mr Mark Loveitt (IWCC)
Finance Committee Chairman Mr Henrique Santos (Portugal)
SECRETARIAT
ENVIRONMENTAL AND ECONOMIC COMMITTEE
Secretary-General Mr Paul White
Chairperson Mr Dieudonné Tambwe (DR Congo) Director of Market Research and Statistics Ms Ana Rebelo
Vice Chairperson Mr Arun Kumar Shukla (India) Director of Economics and Environment Mr Carlos Risopatron
Vice Chairperson Ms Riika Aaltonen (Finland) Manager of Statistical Analysis Mr Shairaz Ahmed
Secretary Ms Ana Paula Calheiros

Acknowledgements and Copyright:
Contacts:
ICSG would like to thank the International Wrought Copper Council, the
International Copper Association, the Copper Development Association,
Rua Almirante Barroso, 38‐6º
the European Copper Institute, the U.S. Geological Survey, the U.S.
1000‐013 Lisbon, Portugal
National Park Service, the British Museum and Mr Luis Hernán Herreros
Tel: +351‐21‐351‐3870
Infante for their contributions to the Factbook.
Fax: +351‐21‐352‐4035
e‐mail: mail@icsg.org The International Copper Study Group's World Copper Factbook © 2020 is
website: www.icsg.org published by the ICSG.
International Copper Study Group ii

ICSG Publications

 COPPER BULLETIN (monthly). The ICSG Copper Bulletin includes annual  DIRECTORY OF COPPER & COPPER ALLOY FABRICATORS (FIRST USE).
and monthly statistics on copper and copper products, their production, This directory provides a global overview of companies and plants
usage and trade by country, as well as stocks and exchange prices, involved in the first use of copper.
providing a global view of supply and demand. Subscribers to the
Copper Bulletin receive the Yearbook as part of their annual  EUROPEAN SEMI MANUFACTURED COPPER PRODUCTS CAPACITY
subscription. (2019). A study focusing on providing a complete picture of fabrication
 ICSG STATISTICAL YEARBOOK. The ICSG Copper Bulletin yearbook and copper use in Europe.
includes annual statistics on copper and copper products, their  SOLID WASTES IN COPPER, LEAD, ZINC AND NICKEL MINING, SMELTING
production, usage and trade by country, as well as stocks and exchange AND REFINING (2019). The study examines mine, smelter and refinery
prices, providing a global view of supply and demand for the past 10 solid wastes and assesses a range of issues related to these wastes.
years. The Yearbook serves as a useful tool for consultations and  SMELTING AND HYDROMETALLURGY TREATMENT FOR COPPER
analysis on the longer term evolution of world copper production, SULPHIDE ORES AND CONCENTRATES (2019). This study focuses on key
usage, stocks and prices. Subscribers to the Copper Bulletin receive the issues related to plants processing copper sulphide ores and
Yearbook as part of their annual subscription. concentrates of different complexity.
 DIRECTORY OF COPPER MINES AND PLANTS. The Directory of Copper  COPPER USE IN FABRICATION IN JAPAN, KOREA, TAIWAN (CHINA) AND
Mines and Plants highlights current capacity and provides a five year VIETNAM (2018). A study focusing on providing a complete picture of
outlook of forecasted capacity for over 1,000 existing and planned fabrication and copper use in the Japan, Korea, Taiwan and Vietnam.
copper mines, smelters and refineries on a country by country basis,  INDUSTRIAL USE OF REFINED COPPER AND SCRAP IN FABRICATION IN
including separate tables for SX‐EW plants. Salient data and information CHINA (2017). A study focusing on providing a complete picture of
for each mine, smelter and refinery are included and the Directory fabrication and copper use in China.
separates operations between Operating, Developing, Feasibility and  MANUFACTURE AND USE OF SEMI‐FABRICATED COPPER IN LATIN
Exploration stages. The Directory is published twice per year. AMERICA/CANADA (2017). A study focusing on providing a complete
 ICSG STATISTICAL DATABASE. The ICSG maintains one of the world's picture of fabrication and copper use in Latin America and Canada.
most complete historical and current databases with statistics on copper  CHINA COPPER MINING INDUSTRY. A study focusing on providing a
production capacities, data on copper production, consumption, stocks, complete picture of the copper mining industry in China.
prices, recycling and trade for copper products. In 2012 ICSG launched
its online statistical database that gives subscribers direct access to ICSG
historical data. It also provides subscribers with specific extraction tools To subscribe to ICSG publications, please see our Order Form on
for downloading the data. Page 60. Alternatively, please visit our website at www.icsg.org
International Copper Study Group iii


Copper is one of the most recycled of all metals. It is our ability to
Chapter 1: Cu Basics recycle metals over and over again that makes them a material of
choice. Recycled copper (also known as secondary copper) cannot be
What is Copper? distinguished from primary copper (copper originating from ores),
once reprocessed. Recycling copper extends the efficiency of use of
Copper is a malleable and ductile metallic element that is an excellent
the metal, results in energy savings and contributes to ensuring that
conductor of heat and electricity as well as being corrosion resistant
we have a sustainable source of metal for future generations.
and antimicrobial. Copper occurs naturally in the Earth’s crust in a
variety of forms. It can be found in sulfide deposits (as chalcopyrite, The demand for copper will continue to be met by the discovery of
bornite, chalcocite, covellite), in carbonate deposits (as azurite and new deposits, technological improvements, efficient design, and by
malachite), in silicate deposits (as chrysycolla and dioptase) and as taking advantage of the renewable nature of copper through reuse
pure "native" copper. and recycling. As well, competition between materials, and supply
and demand principles, contribute to ensuring that materials are
Copper also occurs naturally in humans, animals and plants. Organic
used efficiently and effectively.
life forms have evolved in an environment containing copper. As a
nutrient and essential element, copper is vital to maintaining health. Copper is an important contributor to the national economies of
Life sustaining functions depend on copper. mature, newly developed and developing countries. Mining,
processing, recycling and the transformation of metal into a
Copper and copper‐based alloys are used in a variety of applications
multitude of products creates jobs and generates wealth. These
that are necessary for a reasonable standard of living. Its continued
activities contribute to building and maintaining a country's
production and use is essential for society's development. How society
infrastructure, and create trade and investment opportunities.
exploits and uses its resources, while ensuring that tomorrow's needs
Copper will continue to contribute to society’s development well into
are not compromised, is an important factor in ensuring society's
the future.
sustainable development.
Images courtesy of the Copper Development Association.
International Copper Study Group 1

Key Physical Properties of Copper

Copper Properties and Benefits
Chemical Symbol Cu
Atomic Number 29
Atomic Weight 63.54
Density 8960 kg m-3
Melting point 1356 K
Specific Heat cp (at 293 K) 0.383 kJ kg-1 K-1
Thermal conductivity 394 W m-1 K-1
Coefficient of linear expansion 16.5 x 10-6 K-1
Young's Modulus of Elasticity 110 x 109 N m-2
Electrical Conductivity (% IACS) 1.673 x 10-8 ohm-m But copper’s benefits extend beyond mechanical characteristics:

Crystal Structure Face-Centered Cubic  Copper is essential to the health of plants, animal and humans.
Copper makes vital contributions to sustaining and improving society. Deficiencies, as well as excesses, can be detrimental to health.
Copper's chemical, physical and aesthetic properties make it a material  Antimicrobial Properties. Due to copper’s antimicrobial
of choice in a wide range of domestic, industrial and high technology properties, copper and copper alloy products can be used to
applications. eliminate pathogens and reduce the spread of diseases.
 Recycling. Copper is one of the most recycled of all metals.
Alloyed with other metals, such as zinc (to form brass), aluminum or Virtually all products made from copper can be recycled and
tin (to form bronzes), or nickel, for example, it can acquire new recycled copper loses none of its chemical or physical properties.
characteristics for use in highly specialized applications. In fact,  Energy Efficiency. Copper can improve the efficiency of energy
society's infrastructure is based, in part, on copper. production and distribution systems.

 Electrowinning. An electrolytic refining process where the anode
Selected Copper Definitions is inert, and rich (copper‐loaded) electrolyte continually replaces
lean (copper‐depleted) electrolyte as copper is plated at the
 Anode. The positive terminal in an electrolytic cell where cathode.
electrons leave a device to enter the external circuit. A copper  Fire‐refined copper. The product of a fire‐refining furnace. It is an
anode at 99 percent purity will dissolve. intermediate, more concentrated (with respect to the desired
 Blister. The product of a converting furnace. It is an intermediate, metal) material than blister, from which it is made. Fire‐refined
more concentrated (with respect to the desired metal) material copper contains about 99 percent copper, the exact percentage
than matte, from which it is made, and is usually transferred to depending on the process parameters.
another furnace for further concentration.  Primary copper. Copper extracted from ores and recovered as
 Cathode. The negative terminal in an electrolytic cell where copper metal or copper‐bearing chemicals.
copper is plated during electrowinning or electrolytic refining.  Secondary refined material. Secondary refined material
Copper so plated is referred to as “cathode” and is generally represents scrap that has been fire‐refined, or that has been
about 99.99 percent pure. converted to anode at the smelter level and then electrolytically
 Contained Copper. Contained copper is defined as the analytical refined.
amount of copper outputted in concentrates and precipitates.  Solvent extraction. A method of separating one or more metals
 Copper concentrate. A product of flotation milling. It composes from a leach solution by treating with a solvent that will extract
sulfide minerals and entrained material and contains one‐third the required metal, leaving the others. The metal is recovered
each copper, iron, and sulfur. It can be processed from the solvent by further treatment.
pyrometallurgically in a smelter to produce matte or  Stocks. ICSG reports refined copper stocks as those held by the
hydrometallurgically (pressure leaching) to produce pregnant exchanges, consumers, producers and governments. Merchant
leach solution, both products requiring further processing to stocks are included where it is certain that these are
obtain copper metal. nonduplicative to those already reported. Only refined products
 Direct melt scrap. Direct‐melt, or re‐melt scrap is secondary at plant sites are included. Items such as wire rod, tube and other
material that can be used directly in a furnace without cleanup semifabricated forms are not included.
through the use of fluxes and poling and re‐refining.  Usage. Copper usage represents refined copper used by
 Electrorefining. An electrolytic refining process where less pure semifabricators. Usage data is either directly reported, or ICSG
copper anode is dissolved and high‐purity copper is plated at the estimates an apparent usage using the following formula: Refined
cathode. copper production + refined imports ‐ refined exports + refined
beginning stocks ‐ ending stocks.
Sources: ICSG and USGS.


Copper in History
Archaeological evidence demonstrates that copper was one of the first metals used by humans and was used at least 10,000
years ago for items such as coins and ornaments in western Asia. During the prehistoric Chalcolithic Period (derived from
chalkos, the Greek word for copper), man discovered how to extract and use copper to produce ornaments and implements. As
early as the 4th to 3rd millennium BC, workers extracted copper from Spain's Huelva region.
The discovery that copper, when alloyed with tin, produces bronze, led to the Bronze Age, c. 2,500 BC. Israel's Timna Valley
provided copper to the Pharaohs (an Egyptian papyrus records the use of copper to treat infections and to sterilize water).
Cyprus supplied much of the Phoenician, Greek and Roman needs for copper. "Copper" is derived from the latin Cyprium,
literally Cyprian metal. The Greeks of Aristotle's era were familiar with brass as a valued copper alloy. In South America, the
pre-Columbian Maya, Aztec and Inca civilizations exploited copper, in addition to gold and silver. During the Middle Ages,
copper and bronze works flourished in China, India and Japan.
The discoveries and inventions relating to electricity and magnetism of the late 18th and early 19th centuries by scientists
such as Ampere, Faraday and Ohm, and the products manufactured from copper, helped launch the Industrial Revolution
and propel copper into a new era. Today, copper continues to serve society's needs. Although copper has been in use for at
least 10,000 years, innovative applications for copper are still being developed as evidenced by the development of the copper
chip by the semi-conductors industry.
Images courtesy of the British Museum, the Copper Development Association and ICSG.


Copper Today
The global demand for copper continues to grow: world refined usage has more than tripled in the last 50 years thanks to expanding sectors such as
electrical and electronic products, building construction, industrial machinery
and equipment, transportation equipment, and consumer and
general products. Some of the highlights of 2019 copper production and usage are listed below. In the chapters that follow, more in‐depth
information is presented on copper production, trade, usage, and recycling. For the most up‐to‐date information on the global copper market,
please visit our website at www.icsg.org.
Copper Production Highlights Copper Usage Highlights
Preliminary figures indicate that global Refined copper usage (usage by semis plants or the
copper mine production in 2019 reached first users of copper) in 2019 reached 24.4 million
20.5 million tonnes. The largest producer tonnes. China was also the largest consumer of
of mined copper was Chile (5.8 million refined copper in 2019 with apparent usage of
tonnes). around 12.7 million tonnes.

Smelter production in 2019 reached According to the International Copper Association
around 20.0 million tonnes. China was the (ICA), equipment was the largest copper end‐use
largest producer of blister & anode in 2019 sector in 2019, followed by building construction
and infrastructure.

New copper applications being developed include
Refinery Production in 2019 increased to
antimicrobial copper touch surfaces, lead‐free brass
24.0 million tonnes, including 4.1 million
plumbing, high tech copper wire, heat exchangers,
tonnes of secondary refined production.
and new consumer products as well.
China was the largest producer.
Images courtesy of CDA and Luis Hernán Herreros from www.visnu.cl, © Copyright Anglo American (Faena Los Bronces y Mantos Blancos – Chile)


Chapter 2: Copper Resources and Long‐Term Availability of Copper

Copper Reserves and Resources 2019 World Copper Reserves & Mine Production 1/
(undiscovered resources not including deep sea nodules and land‐based and
Typically, the future availability of minerals is based on the concept of submarine massive sulfides ‐ contained copper)
reserves and resources. Reserves are deposits that have been discovered,
evaluated and assessed to be economically profitable to mine. Resources are
far bigger and include reserves, discovered deposits that are potentially Total Resources
profitable, and undiscovered deposits that are predicted based on (identified and undiscovered)
preliminary geological surveys (see definitions below). 5,600 million tonnes (Mt)
According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), copper reserves

currently amount to around 870 million tonnes (Mt). Identified and
undiscovered copper resources are estimated at around 2,100 Mt and 3,500 Identified Resources
Mt, respectively (USGS basis 2013, see next page). The latter does not take 2,100 Mt
into account the vast amounts of copper found in deep sea nodules and land‐
based and submarine massive sulphides. Current and future exploration
opportunities will lead to increases in both reserves and known resources.
Reserves
Definitions (http://minerals.usgs.gov/minerals/pubs/mcs/2014/mcsapp2014.pdf)
870 Mt
Resource: A concentration of naturally occurring solid, liquid, or gaseous material in or on the

Earth’s crust in such form and amount that economic extraction of a commodity from the
concentration is currently or potentially feasible.
Mine Capacity
Identified Resources: Resources whose location, grade, quality, and quantity are known or
estimated from specific geologic evidence. Identified resources include economic, marginally 24.1 Mt
economic, and sub‐economic components.
Undiscovered Resources: Resources, the existence of which are only postulated, comprising Mine
deposits that are separate from identified resources. Undiscovered resources may be Production (not to scale)
postulated in deposits of such grade and physical location as to render them economic, 20.5 Mt
marginally economic, or sub‐economic.
Reserves: That part of the reserve base (part of an identified resource that meets specified
minimum physical and chemical criteria related to current mining and production practices,
including those for grade, quality, thickness, and depth) which could be economically
extracted or produced at the time of determination. The term reserves need not signify that 1/ Source: USGS (resources/reserves data) and ICSG (capacity/production data)
extraction facilities are in place and operative.


Global Distribution of Identified and Undiscovered Copper Resources

in Porphyry and Sediment‐hosted Stratabound Copper Deposits 1/

In 2013 the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) completed a geology‐based, cooperative international assessment of copper resources of the world 2/.
The USGS
assessed undiscovered copper in two deposit types that account for about 80% of the world’s copper supply. Porphyry copper deposits account for about

60% of the world’s copper. In porphyry copper deposits, copper ore minerals are disseminated in igneous intrusions. Sediment‐hosted stratabound copper
deposits, in which copper is concentrated in layers in sedimentary rocks, account for about 20% of the world’s identified copper. The mean undiscovered

totals for porphyry and sediment‐hosted deposits are 3,100 and 400 Mt respectively, resulting in a global total of 3,500 Mt of copper. With identified copper

resources currently estimated at 2,100 Mt, total copper resources (undiscovered + identified) are estimated at 5,600 Mt.
A. Identified Copper Resources B. Undiscovered Copper Resources
Africa and the
Africa and the Western Europe,
Western Europe, Middle East, 8% Eastern Europe Middle East, 5%
3%
4% and South America,
Eastern Europe Southwestern 21%
and Asia, 7%
Southwestern Australia, 1%
Asia, 6% South America,
39%
Australia, 1%
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia Archipelagos, 9% Central America
Archipelagos, 6% and the
Caribbean, 5%
South Central
Asia and
Indochina, 3%
North Central South Central
Asia, 8% Asia and North America,
Indochina, 15% 13%
Northeast Asia,
0%
>1% Central America
North America, Northeast Asia,
and the North Central
23% 7%
Caribbean, 2% Asia, 14%

1/ Undiscovered Copper Resources ‐ A Global Assessment, April 2014, Presentation at ICSG meeting, Lisbon, by Mrs Jane M. Hammarstrom (USGS Global Mineral Resource Assessment Team)
2/ Supporting studies, including documentation of the assessment methodology and descriptions of individual tracts, are available on the USGS Mineral Resources Program Web site, at
https://www.usgs.gov/energy‐and‐minerals/mineral‐resources‐program/science/global‐mineral‐resource‐assessments?qt‐science_center_objects=0#qt‐science_center_objects

Technology has a key role to play in addressing many of the challenges
Are We Going to Run Out of Copper1? faced by new copper production. Known and as yet unknown
innovations will ensure new mine production continues to provide vital
It is highly improbable. Since 1960, there has always been, on copper supplies.
average, 38 years of reserves, and significantly greater amounts of
In addition copper recycling plays an important role in copper
known resources (USGS data). In addition, recycling, innovation and
availability since today’s primary copper is tomorrow’s recycled
mining exploration continue to contribute to the long‐term availability
material. Unlike other commodities such as energy or food, copper is
of copper.
not “consumed”. Copper is one of the few raw materials which can be
Despite increased demand for copper produced from ore in recent recycled repeatedly without any loss of performance, and key
years, increases in reserves have grown, and there is more identified stakeholders such as policy‐makers, scrap collectors, copper producers
copper available to the world than at any other time in history. and recyclers must all focus on ensuring that yesterday’s metal is
recycled and re‐used.
While this will ensure a progressive move towards a more sustainable
economy, the loop cannot be completely closed for two reasons.
Firstly, demand will continue to increase due to population growth,
product innovation and economic development. Secondly in most
applications, copper stays in use for decades.
Consequently, meeting future metals demand will continue to require a
combination of primary raw materials, coming from mines, as well as
recycled materials, while innovative policies and technology should
continue to contribute to improvements in recycling performance and
resource efficiency.
In the period 2009‐2019, 202 million tonnes of copper have been
Based on the latest knowledge on geological availability and continuous
mined. In that same period however, reserves have grown by 330 industry innovation there are good reasons to believe that copper will
million tonnes. This reflects additional exploration, technological continue to be a vital and positive contributor to society well into the
advances and the evolving economics of mining. future.
1/ Based on the International Copper Association briefing note on copper’s long‐term availability. See http://copperalliance.org/about‐copper/long‐term‐availability/


The output of electro‐refining is refined copper cathodes, assaying over
Chapter 3: Copper Production 99.99% of copper.
How is Copper Produced? Alternatively, in the hydrometallurgical route, copper is extracted from
mainly low grade oxide ores and also some sulphide ores, through
Geologists look for signs and/or anomalies that would indicate the
leaching (solvent extraction) and electrowinning (SX‐EW process). The
presence of a mineral deposit. Under the right geological, economic,
output is the same as through the electro‐refining route ‐ refined copper
environmental and legal conditions, mining can proceed.
cathodes. ICSG estimates that in 2019, refined copper production from
Primary copper production starts with the extraction of copper‐bearing SX‐EW represented around 16% of total copper refined production.
ores. There are three basic ways of copper mining: surface, underground
Refined copper production derived from mine production (either from
mining and leaching. Open‐pit mining is the predominant mining method
metallurgical treatment of concentrates or SX‐EW) is referred to as
in the world.
“primary copper production”, as obtainable from a primary raw material
After the ore has been mined, it is crushed and ground followed by a source. However, there is another important source of raw material
concentration by flotation. The obtained copper concentrates typically which is scrap. Copper scrap derives from either metals discarded in semis
contain around 30% of copper, but grades can range from 20 to 40 per fabrication or finished product manufacturing processes (“new scrap”) or
cent. In the following smelting process, sometimes preceded by a roasting obsolete end‐of‐life products (“old scrap”). Refined copper production
step, copper is transformed into a “matte” containing 50‐70% copper. The attributable to recycled scrap feed is classified as “secondary copper
molten matte is processed in a converter resulting in a so‐called blister production”. Secondary producers use processes similar to those
copper of 98.5‐99.5% copper content. In the next step, the blister copper employed for primary production. ICSG estimates that in 2019, at the
is fire refined in the traditional process route, or, increasingly, re‐melted refinery level, secondary copper refined production reached 17% of total
and cast into anodes for electro‐refining. copper refined production.


Copper Mine Production
World Copper Mine Production, 1900-2019
(thousand metric tonnes copper)
Source: ICSG
22,000
20,000
18,000
16,000
14,000
12,000
10,000
8,000
6,000
4,000
2,000
0
1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010
Concentrates SX-EW
Since 1900, when world production was less than 500 thousand tonnes copper, world copper mine production has grown by 3.2% per annum to
20.5 million tonnes in 2019. SX‐EW production, virtually non‐existent before the 1960s, stood at 3.9 million tonnes in 2019.


Copper Mine Production by Region, 1960 versus 2019
Thousand metric tonnes copper
Source: ICSG
From less than 750,000 tonnes copper in 1960, copper mine production in Latin America has increased to 8.8 million tonnes in
2019, representing 43% of the global total. Asia has also exhibited significant growth. The region’s share of global production
has increased from just 6% to 15% over the respective period. Conversely, North America’s share declined from 36% to 13%.

Copper Mine Production by Country: Top 20 Countries in 2019

(Thousand metric tonnes copper)
Source: ICSG
Chile
Peru
China
United States
Congo
Australia
Zambia
russian fed.
Mexico
Kazakhstan
Canada
Poland
Brazil
Indonesia
Iran
Mongolia
Spain
Myanmar
Panama
Laos
0 1,000 2,000 3,000 4,000 5,000 6,000

Chile accounted for almost a third of world copper mine production in 2019 with mine output of 5.8 million tonnes copper. Peru, which
has seen a sharp increase in output since 2015, accounted for 12% of world mine production.

Trends in Copper Mining Capacity, 2000‐2024
Thousand metric tonnes copper (Bars) and Annual percentage change (Line)
Source: ICSG Directory of Copper Mines and Plants – September 2020 Edition
8.0% 27,000 8.0% 6,000

Concentrates SX‐EW
7.0% 24,000 7.0%
5,000
21,000
6.0% 6.0%
18,000 4,000
5.0% 2020‐2024 5.0%
% growth
% growth
+5.1% 15,000 2000‐2006:
2014‐2019:
4.0% +4.1%
2007‐2013:
+2.7% 4.0% 3,000
2000‐2006: +2.2% 12,000
3.0% +2.7%
3.0% 2007‐2013:
9,000 +3.9% 2,000
2.0% 2.0%
6,000 2014‐2019:
+0.7% 1,000
1.0% 3,000 1.0%
2020‐2024:
+1.7%
0.0% ‐ 0.0% ‐
2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020 2024 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020 2024
Copper mining capacity is estimated to reach 29.5 million tonnes copper in 2024, with 18% being SX‐EW production. This will be 22%
higher than global capacity of 24.1 million tonnes copper recorded in 2019. Growth in copper mine capacity is expected to average
5.1% per year going forward as new capacity is added at existing and some new operations. The ratio between production and
capacity is called the capacity utilization rate. The world mine capacity utilization rate was around 85% in 2019.
Note: Capacity data reflects production capabilities not necessarily production forecasts

Top 20 Copper Mines by Capacity (basis 2020)
Rank Mine Country Owner(s) Source Capacity
1 Escondida Chile BHP Billiton (57.5%), Rio Tinto Corp. (30%), Japan Escondida (12.5%) Concs & SX-EW 1,400
2 Collahuasi Chile Anglo American (44%), Glencore plc (44%), Mitsui (8.4%), JX Holdings (3.6%) Concs & SX-EW 610
Buenavista del Cobre (former
3 Mexico Grupo Mexico Concs & SX-EW 525
Cananea)
4 Morenci United States Freeport-McMoRan Inc 72%, 28% affiliates of Sumitomo Corporation Concs & SX-EW 520
Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc. 54%, Compañia de Minas Buenaventura
5 Cerro Verde II (Sulphide) Peru Concentrates 500
19.58%, Sumitomo 21%
BHP Billiton (33.75%), Teck (22.5%), Glencore plc (33.75%), Mitsubishi Corp.
6 Antamina Peru Concentrates 450
(10%)
Polar Division (Norilsk/ Talnakh
6 Russia Norilsk Nickel Concentrates 450
Mills)
MMG (62.5%), Guoxin International Investment Corporation Limited (22.5%),
8 Las Bambas Peru Concentrates 430
CITIC Metal Co., Ltd. (15%)
PT Freeport Indonesia (PT Inalum and the provincial/regional government 51.2%
9 Grasberg Indonesia Concentrates 400
and Freeport-McMoRan Inc 48.8%)
10 El Teniente Chile Codelco Concs & SX-EW 399
11 Chuquicamata Chile Codelco Concs & SX-EW 370

11 Los Bronces Chile Anglo Amercian 50.1%, Mitsubishi Corp. 20.4%, Codelco 20%, Mitsui 9.5% Concs & SX-EW 370
11 Los Pelambres Chile Antofagasta Plc (60%), Nippon Mining (25%), Mitsubishi Materials (15%) Concentrates 370
14 Kansanshi Zambia First Quantum Minerals Ltd (80%), ZCCM (20%) Concs & SX-EW 340
15 Radomiro Tomic Chile Codelco Concs & SX-EW 330

First Quantum Minerals Ltd 90%, Korea Panama Mining Corp. (LS-Nikko Copper
16 Cobre Panama Panama Concentrates 300
Inc. and Korean Resources Corporation) 10%
16 Kamoto Congo Katanga Mining Ltd (86.33% Glencore plc) 75%, Gecamines 25% SX-EW 300
18 Bingham Canyon United States Kennecott Concentrates 280

Southern Copper Corp (Grupo Mexico 88.9%, international investment
19 Toquepala Peru Concentrates 265
community 11.1%)
20 Sentinel Zambia First Quantum Minerals Ltd Concentrates 260


Constraints on Copper Supply  Other environmental issues: governments are becoming more
aware of the impact of mining to the surrounding environment in
With copper concentrate in strong demand, there has been growing interest recent years. In countries like Peru and the Philippines, the
in understanding the obstacles that can prevent copper mine supply from relationship with indigenous community is also a key factor.
coming on‐stream. Below are some of the operational and financial  Resource nationalism: It has become a priority for certain
constraints identified from a study undertaken by the ICSG. For more governments to develop their mineral resources that have not
information about ICSG research related to constraints on copper supply, been exploited until now. While willing to develop their natural
please contact the ICSG Secretariat at mail@icsg.org resources, countries might be seeking to extract strong revenue
flows from them. It will be important to balance royalty/taxation
 Declining ore grades: a serious issue in developed copper areas levels with the need to encourage capital investment to develop
such as the USA and Chile their rising industries.
 Sulphuric acid supply and price: 16% cost factor for SX‐EW projects
 Project finance: prolonged economic and price volatility may have
significant impact on cost of capital  Skilled labor: open labor markets would help address this
constraint
 Tax & investment regimes: recent research indicates these are less  Labor strikes: tend to increase when refined prices are high and
important than geological endowments GDP is growing faster, but tend to be longer and less frequent
 Other cost issues: lower capital expenditure may have adverse otherwise
long term effect on copper supply; operating cost escalation  High domestic costs if there is “Dutch disease” (resulting in higher
exchange rates due in part to strong exports)
 Water supply: a critical issue in dry mining districts  Rate between imported inputs and domestic input costs affected
 Energy: coal is the fuel chosen to power main copper mines and by the currency strength of the producer
processes… climate change may increase costs  Political risks: Security and transport accessibility is crucial to mine
operation



Copper Smelter Production
World Copper Smelter Production, 1980-2019
Source: ICSG
22,500
20,000
17,500
15,000
12,500
10,000
7,500
5,000
2,500
0
1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015
Primary Feed Secondary Feed
Smelting is the pyrometallurgical process used to produce copper metal. In 2019, world copper smelter production reached 20.0 million tonnes
copper. Recently, the trend to recover copper directly from ores through leaching processes has been on the increase. Primary smelters use mine
concentrates as their main source of feed (although some use copper scrap as well). Secondary copper smelters use copper scrap as their feed.

Trends in Copper Smelting Capacity, 2000 and 2024
Percentage share of total capacity, by technology type
2000 2024
The use of Flash/Continuous technology accounted for 59% in total copper smelting capacity in 2000. This share rose to 67% in 2019. It is
expected to remain around this level until 2024. There has also been a rapid expansion of Chinese technology, which first emerged in
2004. It now accounts for around 14% of total copper smelting capacity.

Copper Smelter Production by Region, 1990-2019

Source: ICSG
14,000
12,000
10,000
8,000
6,000
4,000
2,000
0
1990 1993 1996 2000 2003 2006 2009 2012 2015 2018
Africa America Asia Europe Oceania
Asia’s share of world copper smelter output jumped from 27% in 1990 to 65% in 2019 as smelter production in China expanded rapidly.

Copper Smelter Production by Country: Top 20 Countries in 2019
Source: ICSG
China
Japan
Chile
Russian Fed.
Korean Rep.
Zambia
Poland
United States
Germany
Australia
Bulgaria
India
Canada
Iran
Kazakhstan
Peru
Mexico
Spain
Indonesia
Philippines
0 1,000 2,000 3,000 4,000 5,000 6,000 7,000 8,000 9,000 10,000
In 2019, China accounted for almost 50% of world copper smelter production, followed by Japan (8%), Chile (5%) and Russian Federation (5%).


Top 20 Copper Smelters by Capacity (basis 2020)

Rank Smelter Country Operator/Owner(s) Process Capacity
1 Guixi (smelter) China Jiangxi Copper Corp. Outokumpu Flash 600
Outokumpu Flash, Ausmelt, Mitsubishi
2 Birla Copper (Dahej) India Birla Group (Hidalco) 500
Continuous
3 Chuquicamata (smelter) Chile Codelco Outokumpu/ Teniente Converter 450
Jinchuan (Fangchenggang
3 China Jinchuan Non-Ferrous Metal Co. Flash smelter 450
smelter)
3 Hamburg Germany Aurubis Outokumpu, Contimelt, Electric 450
3 Besshi/ Ehime (Toyo) Japan Sumitomo Metal Mining Co. Ltd. Outokumpu Flash 450
3 Saganoseki/ Ooita (smelter) Japan JX Nippon Mining & Metals Co., Ltd. Outokumpu Flash 450
8 El Teniente (Caletones) Chile Codelco Chile Reverberatory/ Teniente Conv. 400
Chifeng Jinfeng (Yunnan Copper 45%,
8 Chifeng China Side-Blown 400
Taisheng 45%, Jinfeng Copper 10%)
Chinalco Southeast Copper
8 China Chinalco Flash Smelter 400
(smelter)
8 Jinguan (smelter) China Tongling Non-Ferrous Metals Group Flash Smelter 400
8 Xiangguang copper (smelter) China Yanggu Xiangguang Copper Co Outokumpu Flash 400
8 Sterlite Smelter (Tuticorin) India Vedanta Isasmelt Process 400
8 Norilsk (Nikelevy, Medny) Russia Norilsk Nickel Reverb, Electric, Vanyukov 400
15 Pirdop (smelter) Bulgaria Aurubis (99.77%) Outokumpu Flash 360
Southern Copper Corp (Grupo Mexico 88.9%,
15 Ilo Smelter Peru Isasmelt Process 360
international investment community 11.1%)
Mitsubishi Materials Corp. (55.714%), Dowa
17 Onahama/ Fukushima Japan Metals & Mining Co. Ltd.(31.621%), Furukawa Mitsubishi/ Reverb. 354
Metals & Resources Co. Ltd. (12.665%)
18 Heding Copper China Jiangxi Copper, Fuchunjiang (joint venture) Side-Blown 350
Tongling Nonferrous Metals Corp. (57.4%),
18 Jinlong (Tongdu) China Flash Smelter 350
Sumitomo (35%), Pingguo Aluminium Co.
Sarchesmeh Copper Complex
18 iran National Iranian Copper Industry Co. Flash Smelter 350
(smelter)


Refined Copper Production
World Refined Copper Production, 1960‐2019
Source: ICSG
25,000
20,000
15,000
10,000
5,000
0
1960 1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016
Refinery Primary Refinery Secondary Refinery SX-EW
With the emergence of solvent extraction‐electrowinning (SX‐EW) technology, refined copper produced from leaching ores has increased from less
than 1% of world refined copper production in the late 1960’s to 16% of world output in 2019. World copper refined production amounted to
24.0 million tonnes in 2019.

Trends in Refined Capacity, 2000-2024

Source: ICSG Directory of Copper Mines and Plants - September 2020 Edition
35,000
30,000
25,000
20,000
15,000
10,000
5,000
-
2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022 2024
Electrolytic Electrowinning Fire Refining
This chart shows world copper refinery capacity by refining process. The ratio between production and capacity is called the capacity utilization rate.
The world refinery capacity utilization rate was around 84% in 2019.

Refined Copper Production by Region, 1990-2019

Source: ICSG
30,000
25,000
20,000
15,000
10,000
5,000
0
1990 1993 1996 2000 2003 2006 2009 2012 2015 2018
Africa America Asia Europe Oceania
Regions with the highest output of refined copper in 1990: the Americas (4,250 kt), followed by Europe (3,004 kt)
Leading region in the world in 2019: Asia (13,898 kt) as compared to 2,505kt in 1990.

Refined Copper Production by Country: Top 20 Countries in 2019
Source: ICSG
China
Chile
Japan
United States
Russian Fed.
Congo
Korean Rep.
Germany
Poland
Mexico
Australia
India
Spain
Belgium
Kazakhstan
Peru
Indonesia
Canada
Zambia
Iran
0 1,000 2,000 3,000 4,000 5,000 6,000 7,000 8,000 9,000 10,000
In 2019, China accounted for 41% of world copper refined production, followed by Chile (9%), Japan (6%) and the United States (4%).

Top 20 Copper Refineries by Capacity (basis 2020)


Rank Refinery Country Owner(s) Process Capacity

1 Guixi China Jiangxi Copper Corporation Electrolytic 1100
2 Shandong Fangyuan China Dongying, Shandong Electrolytic 700
( fi Hubei
Daye/ ) (refinery) China Daye Non-Ferrous Metals Co. Electrolytic 600
3
3 Jinchuan China Jinchuan Non Ferrous Co. Electrolytic 600
5 Yunnan Copper China Yunnan Copper Industry Group (64.8%) Electrolytic 500
5 Birla India Birla Group (Hidalco) Electrolytic 500
7 Sterlite Refinery India Vedanta Electrolytic 460
7 Pyshma Refinery Russia UMMC (Urals Mining & Metallurgical Co.) Electrolytic 460
8 Jinchuan (Fangchenggang China Jinchuan Non-Ferrous Metal Co. Electrolytic 450
fi )
Toyo/Niihama (Besshi) Japan Sumitomo Metal Mining Co. Ltd. Electrolytic 450
8
8 Amarillo United States Grupo Mexico Electrolytic 450
8 Chuquicamata Refinery Chile Codelco Electrolytic 450
13 Onsan Refinery I Korean Republic LS-Nikko Co. (LS, Nippon Mining) Electrolytic 440
14 Hamburg (refinery) Germany Aurubis Electrolytic 416
15 El Paso (refinery) United States Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc. Electrolytic 415
Las Ventanas Chile Codelco Electrolytic 410
15
17 Jinguan (refinery) China Tongling Non-Ferrous Metals Group Electrolytic 400

17 Jinlong (Tongdu) (refinery) China Tongling NonFerrous Metal Corp. 52 %, Sharpline Electrolytic 400
Xiangguang Copper China I t
Yanggu ti Xiangguang
l 13% S Copper
it C
Co 7 5% It h C 7 5% Electrolytic 400
17
( fi
Chifeng )(refinery) China Chifeng Jinfeng (Yunnan Copper) Electrolytic 400
17



Chapter 4: Corporate Social Why is CSR Important?

Responsibility (CSR) in Mining Corporate Social Responsibility has been around since the 1950s, but its
importance and practice took hold much later. With mining activity
increasing, CSR is more relevant than ever before.
What is Corporate Social Responsibility?
CSR programs usually invest in infrastructure (potable water, electricity,
Corporate Social Responsibility refers to the continuing commitment by “the schools, roads, hospitals, hospital equipment, drainage repairs, etc.),
corporation” to behave ethically and contribute to economic development building social capital (providing high‐school and university education,
while improving the quality of life of the workforce and their families as well workshops on gender issues, information on family planning, improving
as of the local community and society at large. hygiene, etc.), and building human capital (training local people to be
employed by the mining business or to provide outsourced services,
The basis of CSR is rooted in Archie
promote and provide skills on microbusiness, aquaculture, etc.).2
Carroll’s “Pyramid of Corporate Social
Responsibility.”1 In this Pyramid a Mining companies engage in CSR programs because:
corporation has four types of
 From a community perspective,
responsibilities. The first and most obvious
they provide a mechanism of
is the economic responsibility to be
compensation for the social and
profitable. The second is
environmental costs associated
the legal responsibility to obey the laws set
with mining. CSR is also a means
forth by society. The third, which is closely
through which a mining company can be seen to actively give
linked to the second, is
back to the community.
the ethical responsibility. That is to do
what is right even when business is not  Mining companies also benefit from CSR programs by building
compelled to do so by law. The fourth is the philanthropic responsibility. It is better relations with the local communities in which they
best described by the resources contributed by corporations toward social, operate. The economic risks of not having good community
educational, recreational and/or cultural purposes. relations include project delays, and even mine closures.

Source: 1/ based on Archie Carroll’s research on The Pyramid of Corporate Social Responsibility: Toward the Moral Management of Organizational Stakeholders (1991)
2/ https://www.miningfacts.org/communities/what‐is‐corporate‐social‐responsibility/


Chapter 5: Copper Trade

Copper products across the value chain are traded internationally. Often,
countries where upstream copper production capacity exceeds downstream
production capacity will import the raw materials needed to meet their
production needs, and vice versa. Major product categories of copper traded
internationally include:
 Copper concentrates
 Copper blister and anode
 Copper cathode and ingots
 Copper scrap and
 Copper semis
Copper powders and compounds are also traded globally, but typically in
much smaller quantities. In additional, copper is contained in end‐use
products that are traded globally including automobiles, appliances,
electronic equipment and other products. Changes in trade regulations, such
as import duties or export quotas, can have significant impacts on the
international trade of copper. For more information about the international
trade of copper and changes in regulations that can affect the trade of
copper, please contact the ICSG Secretariat at mail@icsg.org1

1
Gross weight.
2
Exports and Imports might not match due to transit time, under-reporting or product
misclassification


Major International Trade

Major Trade Flows
FlowsofofCopper
CopperOres and Concentrates1
Ores and Concentrates1
Major Exporters of Major Importers of
Copper Ores and Copper Ores and
Concentrates, 2019 Concentrates, 2019
1. Chile 1. China
2. Peru 2. Japan
3. Australia 3. Korean Rep.
4. Mexico 4. Spain
5. Canada 5. Germany
6. Mongolia 6. India
7. United States 7. Bulgaria
8. Brazil 8. Russian Fed.
9. Spain 9. Mexico
10. Kazakhstan 10. Finland

Image courtesy of the Copper Development Association.

1
Figure is intended to illustrate trade flows but not actual trade routes. Detailed trade matrices are available in ICSG Statistical Yearbook.

Major International Trade of Copper Blister

Major International Trade Flows of Copper Blister and Anode1
and Anode 1
Copper Blister and Copper Blister and
Anode, 2019 Anode, 2019
1. Zambia 1. China
2. Chile 2. Belgium
3. Bulgaria 3. India
4. South Africa 4. Canada
5. Spain 5. Korean Rep.
6. Belgium 6. Austria
7. Netherlands 7. Germany
8. Peru 8. Japan
9. Germany 9. Brazil
10. Italy 10. Netherlands


1

Major International Trade Flows of Refined

Major International Trade Flows of Refined Copper1
Copper 1
Refined Copper, Refined Copper,
2019 2019
1. Chile 1. China
2. Russian Fed. 2. United States
3. Japan 3. Italy
4. Kazakhstan 4. Germany
5. Australia 5. Taiwan (China)
6. China 6. Thailand
7. Poland 7. Turkey
8. Belgium 8. Malaysia
9. Peru 9. Korean Rep.
10. Korean Rep. 10. France


1

Leading Exporters and Importers of Semi‐Fabricated Copper Products, 2019
Thousand metric tonnes gross weight, Source: ICSG
1,600
1,400
Importers
1,200
1,000
800
600
400
200
0
1,000
Exporters
800
600
400
200

Exchanges also provide for the trading of futures and options contracts.
Chapter 6: Commodity Copper: These allow producers and consumers to fix a price in the future, thus
providing a hedge against price variations. In this process the participation
Exchanges, Prices and Stocks of speculators, who are ready to buy the risk of price variation in
exchange for monetary reward, gives liquidity to the market. A futures or
Copper, as any other good or merchandise, is traded between producers options contract defines the quality of the product, the size of the lot,
and consumers. Producers sell their present or future production to delivery dates, delivery warehouses and other aspects related to the
clients, who transform the metal into shapes or alloys, so that trading process. Contracts are unique for each exchange. The existence of
downstream fabricators can transform these into different end‐use futures contracts also allows producers and their clients to agree on
products. One of the most important factors in trading a commodity such different price settling schemes to accommodate different interests.
as copper is the settlement price for the present day (spot price) or for
future days. Exchanges also provide for warehousing facilities that enable market
participants to make or take physical delivery of copper in accordance
Exchanges with each exchange's criteria.
The role of a commodity exchange is to facilitate and make transparent Average Annual Copper Prices (LME, Grade A, Cash), 1960‐2019
US$ per tonne
the process of settling prices. Three commodity exchanges provide the Source: ICSG
facilities to trade copper: The London Metal Exchange (LME), the 10,000
9,000
Commodity Exchange Division of the New York Mercantile Exchange
8,000
(COMEX/NYMEX) and the Shanghai Futures Exchange (SHFE). In these 7,000
exchanges, prices are settled by bid and offer, reflecting the market's 6,000
perception of supply and demand of a commodity on a particular day. On 5,000
4,000
the LME, copper is traded in 25 tonne lots and quoted in US dollars per
3,000
tonne; on COMEX, copper is traded in lots of 25,000 pounds and quoted 2,000
in US cents per pound; and on the SHFE, copper is traded in lots of 5 1,000
tonnes and quoted in Renminbi per tonne. More recently, mini contracts 0
1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015
of smaller lots sizes have been introduced at the exchanges.
Current $ Constant 2012 $

Copper Stocks, Prices and Usage (Jan 2001‐Jun 2020)
Thousand metric tonnes copper and US cents/pound

Source: ICSG

3,375 450
3,000 400
2,625 350
2,250 300
Thousand metric tonnes, copper
Price LME (US cents/pound)

1,875 250
1,500 200
1,125 150
750 100
375 50
0 0
Jan 01 Jan 03 Jan 05 Jan 07 Jan 09 Jan 11 Jan 13 Jan 15 Jan 17 Jan 19
Exchanges Producers Merchants Consumers 3 mth moving average copper usage seasonally adjusted Price LME (UScents/pound)


Chapter 7: Copper Usage
How Is Copper Used?
Copper is shipped to fabricators mainly as cathode, wire rod, billet, cake (slab) or ingot. Through extrusion, drawing, rolling, forging,
melting, electrolysis or atomization, fabricators form wire, rod, tube, sheet, plate, strip, castings, powder and other shapes. The fabricators

of these shapes are called the first users of copper. The total use of copper includes copper scrap that is directly melted by the first users of
copper to produce copper semis.
Copper and copper alloy semis can be further transformed by downstream industries for use in end use products such as automobiles,
appliances, electronics, and a whole range of other copper‐dependent products in order to meet society’s needs. This section provides a

range of information about refined copper usage, total use, major uses of copper and end‐use.

For the most up‐to‐date information on refined copper usage, please visit the ICSG website at www.icsg.org

World Refined Copper Usage, 1900‐2019
Source: ICSG
26,000
24,000
22,000
20,000
18,000
16,000
14,000
12,000
10,000
8,000
6,000
4,000
2,000
0
Since 1900, apparent usage for refined copper has increased from less than 500 thousand tonnes to 24.5 million metric tonnes in 2019 as
usage over the period grew by a compound annual growth rate of 3.4% per year.

Refined Copper Usage by Region, 1960 versus 2019

Source: ICSG
1960 2019
2%
30%
57%
1%
10%
0.5%
The key driver of global refined copper usage has been Asia, where demand has expanded almost eight‐fold over the past four decades mainly due
to China.

World Refined Copper Usage* per Capita: 1950‐2019
Sources: ICSG and US Census Bureau
8 3.5
7 3.0
6
2.5
5
Population (bln)
kg per person
2.0
4
1.5
3
1.0
2
1 0.5
0 0.0
1950 1955 1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015
World Population Refined Copper Usage per Capita
*Refined copper is typically used by semis fabricators or the “first users” of refined copper, including ingot makers, master alloy plants, wire rod
plants, brass mills, alloy wire mills, foundries and foil mills. As a result, per capita usage of refined copper refers to the amount of copper used by
industry divided by the total population and does not represent copper used in finished products per person.

Intensity of Refined Copper Usage*
Sources: ICSG and International Monetary Fund

2019 data GDP per capita (US$) Intensity (tonnes/US$bln)
Australia 53825 7.264
Belgium 45174 508.233
Brazil 8797 161.545
Canada 46213 92.729
Chile 15399 152.598
China 10099 900.794 Intensity of Copper Usage 2019
Egypt 3047 314.386
1,500
France 41760 66.513
Germany 46564 284.978
Vietnam
India 2172 180.195
1,250
Copper usage per GDP (tonnes/ US$ bln)

Indonesia 4164 189.307
Iran 5506 318.212 United Arab Embirates
Italy 32946 264.032
Japan 40847 188.374 1,000
Korean Rep. 31431 397.169
Malaysia 11137 641.933 China
Mexico 10118 306.085 750 Zambia Thailand
Poland 14901 503.467 Malaysia
Turkey Taiwan
Russian Fed. 11163 216.972
Saudi Arabia 22865 237.401 500 Poland Belgium
Spain 29961 264.695 Korean Rep.
Sweden 51243 236.323 Egypt Mexico
Iran SpainItaly Germany
Taiwan 24828 632.523 250 Sweden
Indonesia Russia Japan
Thailand 7792 697.459 India Brazil Chile Saudi Arabia United States
Turkey 8958 606.036 France Canada
0 Australia
United Arab Emirates 37750 1,089.038
United States 65112 85.748 0 10,000 20,000 30,000 40,000 50,000 60,000 70,000
Vietnam 2740 1,349.297 GDP per capita (US$)
Zambia 1307 751.566
*Refined copper is typically used by semis fabricators or the “first users” of refined copper, including ingot makers, master alloy plants, wire rod
plants, brass mills, alloy wire mills, foundries and foil mills. As a result, intensity of refined copper usage per GDP refers to the amount of copper
used by industry divided by GDP and does not represent copper used in finished products per person.

Total Copper Usage, Including Direct Melted Copper Scrap, 2008‐2018
Source: ICSG Recyclables Survey April 2020
32,000 Direct melt scrap Refined Usage
28,000
24,000
20,000
16,000
12,000
8,000
4,000
0
2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018

Major Uses of Copper: Electrical sources such as solar, wind, geothermal, fuel cells and other
technologies are all heavily reliant on copper due to its excellent
Copper is the best non‐ conductivity.
precious metal conductor of
ICSG, in partnership with the Common Fund for Commodities,
electricity as it encounters
the International Copper Association and the International
much less resistance
Copper Promotion Council (India), undertook the Transfer of
compared with other
Technology for High Pressure Copper Die Casting in India project.
commonly used metals. It sets
The project facilitated the transfer of technology related to the
the standard to which other
manufacture of rotors, motors and motor systems using more
conductors are compared.
energy efficient high pressure copper die castings.
Copper is also used in power cables, either insulated or
uninsulated, for high, medium and low voltage applications.
In addition, copper's exceptional strength, ductility and resistance
to creeping and corrosion makes it the preferred and safest
conductor for commercial and residential building wiring.
Copper is an essential

component of energy
efficient generators,
motors, transformers
and renewable energy
production systems.
Renewable energy

Major Uses of Copper: Electronics and
Communications
Copper plays a key role in Semiconductor manufacturers

worldwide information and have launched a revolutionary
communications technologies. "copper chip." By using copper
HDSL (High Digital Subscriber for circuitry in silicon chips,
Line) and ADSL (Asymmetrical microprocessors are able to
Digital Subscriber Line) operate at higher speeds, using
technology allows for high‐speed less energy. Copper heat sinks
data transmission, including help remove heat from transistors and keep computer
internet service, through the
processors operating at peak efficiency. Copper is also
existing copper infrastructure of ordinary telephone wire.
used extensively in other electronic equipment in the

form of wires, transformers, connectors and switches.
Copper and copper alloy products are used in domestic
subscriber lines, wide and local area networks, mobile
phones and personal computers.
Images courtesy of the Copper Development Association and European Copper Institute.

Major Uses of Copper: Construction
Copper and brass are the The use of copper

materials of choice for doorknobs and plates
plumbing, taps, valves and exploits copper's
fittings. Thanks in part to its biostatic properties to
aesthetic appeal, copper help prevent the transfer of disease and microbes.
and its alloys, such as
Copper roofing, in addition
architectural bronze, is
to being attractive, is well
used in a variety of settings
to build facades, canopies, known for its resistance to
doors and window frames. extreme weather
conditions. Major public
Unlike plastic tubing, buildings, commercial
copper does not burn, melt buildings and homes use
or release noxious or toxic copper for their rainwater
fumes in the event of a fire. Copper tubes also help goods and roofing needs.
protect water systems from potentially lethal bacteria The telltale green patina
such as legionella. Copper fire sprinkler systems are a finish, that gives copper the classic look of warmth and
valuable safety feature in buildings. richness, is the result of natural weathering.
Images courtesy of the Copper Development Association and the International Copper Association.

Major Uses of Copper: Industrial Machinery
and Equipment
Wherever industrial machinery and equipment is found, it The corrosion resistant properties of copper and copper

is a safe bet that copper and its alloys are present. Due to alloys (such as brass, bronze, and copper‐nickel) make
their durability, machinability and ability to be cast with them especially suitable for use in marine and other
high precision and tolerances, copper alloys are ideal for demanding environments.
making products such as gears, bearings and turbine
blades. Vessels, tanks, and piping exposed to seawater,
propellers, oil platforms and coastal power stations, all
Copper's superior heat transfer capabilities and ability to depend on copper's corrosion resistance for protection
withstand extreme environments makes it an ideal choice
for heat exchange equipment, pressure vessels and vats.


Major Uses of Copper: Consumer and
General Products
From the beginning of civilization copper has been used Copper and copper‐based products are used in offices,
by various societies to make coins for currency. households and workplaces. Computers, electrical
appliances, cookware, brassware, and locks and keys are
Today, countries are replacing just some of the products exploiting copper's advantages.
lower denomination bills with
copper‐based coins, as these
coins last 10, 20 and even 50
times longer.

In the United States, one cent
coins and five cent coins contain 2.5% and 75% copper,
respectively, while other U.S. coins contain a pure copper
core and 75% copper face.1 In the recently expanded
In addition, in areas known to be copper deficient, copper
European Union, the Euro coins, first introduced in 2002,
is used by farmers to supplement livestock and crop feed.
also contain copper.
Images courtesy of the International Copper Association and the Copper Development Association.

1
Source: U.S. Department of the Treasury.

Major Uses of Copper: Transportation ELECTRIC VEHICLES
Electric vehicles (EVs) contain approximately four times more
All major forms of transportation depend on copper to perform
copper than conventional cars. It is used in batteries, windings and
critical functions.
copper rotors used in electric motors, wiring, busbars and

charging infrastructure.
Copper‐nickel alloys are used on the hulls of
boats and ships to reduce marine befouling,
thereby reducing drag and improving fuel
consumption.

Automobiles and trucks rely on copper motors,
wiring, radiators, connectors, brakes and
bearings. Today, the average internal combustion engine contains
about 22.5 kg (50 lbs) of copper, while luxury cars on average
contain around 1,500 copper wires totaling about 1.6 km (1 mile)
in length.

It is estimated that globally over 7 million electric vehicles were on
the road in 2019. In an effort to reduce carbon emissions it is
expected that the use of EVs will continue to rise. The demand for
EVs is also expected to increase as a result of technology

improvements, increased affordability and the deployment of
Images courtesy of the Copper Development Association and the European Copper Institute.

more electric chargers (each EV charger will Growth Markets for Copper Usage

add 0.7 kg of copper. Fast chargers can add up
to 8 kg of copper each). This increase will In the longer term, copper could benefit from use in the following
result in greater demand for copper. markets: 1
1. Antimicrobial – copper is gaining popularity as an alternative to
Copper’s superior thermal conductivity, strength, corrosion plastic in medical applications, such as sterile table tops and medical cart
handles
resistance and recyclability also make it ideal for automotive and
truck radiators. New manufacturing technologies, processes and 2. Aquaculture – marine aquaculture nets and pens made with copper‐
innovative designs are resulting in lighter, smaller and more alloy mesh are emerging as an effective solution to important problems
efficient radiators. facing the near‐shore fish farming industry
3. Electrical Propulsion – powering EVs require changes to the electrical
Copper is used extensively in new generation airplanes and infrastructure that will benefit from copper
trains. New high‐speed trains can use anywhere from 2 to 4 4. Renewable Energy – copper plays important roles in clean energy
tonnes of copper, significantly higher than the 1 to 2 tonnes used systems from wind to solar thermal plants
in traditional electric trains. 5. Seismic Energy Dissipation – earthquake damage can be controlled
through the use of copper‐based devices that absorb energy to limit
building motions
6. Ultra‐conductive Copper Components – progress is being made in the
methods of incorporating nanocarbon materials into copper in a way
that promises to deliver large efficiency improvements in electrical
energy transmission and distribution networks
7. Electrical Vehicles (EVs) – to reduce carbon emissions. Rising number
of EVs is expected to result in increased copper usage
Images courtesy of the Copper Development Association and the European Copper Institute. Source: 1/ ICA Annual Reports

Major Uses of Copper, 2019
Source: International Wrought Copper Council (IWCC) and International Copper Association (ICA)

First‐Use (Semis Production*) End‐Use
*copper and copper alloy production

Notes:
Copper foil production includes foil produced by the rolling process and by electro‐deposition
The copper content of alloy semis is assumed to be 70%

World Copper and Copper Alloy Semis Production
World Copper and Copper Alloy Semis Production, 1980‐2019P
Thousand metric tonnes gross weight
Source: ICSG
30,000
27,000
24,000
21,000
18,000
15,000
12,000
9,000
6,000
3,000
0
1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015
Semis fabricators process refinery shapes such as cathodes, wire bar, ingot, billet slab and cake into semi‐finished copper and copper alloy products using
both unwrought copper materials and direct melt scrap as raw material feed. Semis fabricators are considered to be the “first users” of refined copper
and include wire rod plants and brass mills.
P / Preliminary. Data for some countries still incomplete

Copper and Copper Alloy Semis Production by Region, 1980 & 2019P
Source: ICSG
25,000
1980 2019
20,000
15,000
10,000
5,000
0
Africa Asia Europe North America Oceania South America
Asia accounted for over 80% (or almost 22.7 million metric tonnes) of semis output in 2019, compared to 23% in 1980.
P / Preliminary. Data for some countries still incomplete

Copper & Copper Alloy Semis Production Capacity by Region & Product
Source: ICSG Directory of Copper and Copper Alloy Fabricators 2020
Semis Production Capacity by Product,

2019 vs 2020 (million tonnes gross weight)
Source: ICSG
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
-
2019 2020
Wire Rod PSS RBS
Tubes Alloy Wire Ingots
Foil Powder Not Classified
In 2020, China will account for the largest share of Wire rod plants are estimated to account for 63% of
world semis production capacity (46%). world first use capacity in 2020.

Copper and Copper Alloy Semis Production Capacity by Country:
Top 20 Countries, 2020
Source: ICSG Directory of Copper and Copper Alloy Fabricators 2020
China
United States
Japan
India
Korean Republic
Germany
Brazil
Italy
Taiwan (China)
Turkey
Mexico
Iran
Russian Fed.
Thailand
Vietnam
Spain
France
Indonesia
United Arab…
Malaysia
0 4,000 8,000 12,000 16,000 20,000 24,000 28,000 32,000


Chapter 8: Copper Recycling
Copper is among the few Closing metal loops through increased reuse and recycling
materials that do not degrade or enhances the overall resource productivity and therefore
lose their chemical or physical represents one of the key elements of society’s transition
properties in the recycling towards more sustainable production and consumption
process. Considering this, the patterns. It is widely recognized that recycling is not in
existing copper reservoir in use opposition to primary metal production, but is a
can well be considered a necessary and beneficial complement.
legitimate part of world copper reserves. In the recent In 2018, ICSG estimates that 32% of global copper use
decades, an increasing emphasis has been placed on the came from recycled copper. Some countries' copper
sustainability of material uses in which the concept of requirements greatly depend on recycled copper to meet
reuse and recycling of metals plays an important role in internal demands. However, recycled copper alone
the material choice and acceptance of products. If cannot meet society's needs, so we also rely on copper
appropriately managed, recycling has the potential to produced from the processing of mineral ores.
extend the use of resources, and to minimize energy use,
some emissions, and waste disposal.

Images courtesy of the European Copper Institute.

Copper Recycling Rate Definitions  The Overall Recycling Efficiency Rate indicates the
efficiency with which end of life (EOL) scrap, new
The recycling performance of copper-bearing products scrap, and other metal-bearing residues are collected
can be measured and demonstrated in various ways – and recycled by a network of collectors, processors,
depending, among other things, on objectives, scope, and metal recyclers. The key target audiences of this
data availability and target audience. The three particular indicator are metal industry, scrap
International Non-Ferrous Metal Study Groups in processors and scrap generators.
conjunction with various metal industry associations
agreed on the common definitions of the three following
metal recycling rates:  The EOL Recycling Rate indicates the efficiency with
which EOL scrap from obsolete products is recycled.
 The Recycling Input Rate (RIR) measures the This measure focuses on end-of-life management
proportion of metal and metal products that are performance of products and provides important
produced from scrap and other metal-bearing low- information to target audiences such as metal and
grade residues. The RIR is mainly a statistical recycling industries, product designers, life cycle
measurement for raw material availability and supply analysts, and environmental policy makers.
rather than an indicator of recycling efficiency of
processes or products. The RIR has been in use in the

metals industry for a long time and is widely available
from statistical sources. Major target audiences for this
type of “metallurgical” indicator are the metal industry,
metal traders and resource policy makers. However,
given structural and process variables, it may have
limited use as a policy tool.

ICSG Global Copper Use (incl. Recycling), 2010-2018

Source: ICSG Recyclables Survey April 2020

Global Scrap Use Global Copper Use and Recycling Input Rate
(incl. secondary refined production and scrap direct melt) (incl. refined usage and scrap direct melt)

('000 t Cu) ('000 t Cu) RIR %

10,000 30,000 38%
9,000
25,000 36%
8,000
7,000
20,000 34%
6,000
5,000 15,000 32%
4,000
10,000 30%
3,000
2,000
5,000 28%
1,000
0 0 26%
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
Secondary refined production Cu content of Direct Melt
Refined Usage Cu content of Direct Melt Recycling Input Rate (RIR)

ICSG Global Copper Scrap Research Project and recent scrap reports

Based on interest expressed by member countries, ICSG launched the copper scrap market project in 2007 in order to provide greater transparency on an

increasingly vital component of the world copper market at a time when globalization is reshaping the copper scrap and copper alloy recycling business. The
final report of the project was published in August 2010. In addition, ICSG has completed a number of new detailed reports on NAFTA, European, Middle

Eastern and Chinese scrap recovery and scrap supply in recent years. For more information about ICSG work related to copper scrap, please contact the ICSG
Secretariat at mail@icsg.org

Key Drivers of the Global Copper Scrap Market ICSG Global Copper Scrap Project Reports
 Expanding Copper Mine Production and Refined Copper  European Semi Manufactured Copper Products Capacity (2019)
Substitution
 Industrialization and Economic Growth  Copper Use in Fabrication in Japan, Korea, Taiwan (China) and
 Prices Vietnam (2018)
o Copper Scrap Prices and Spreads
 Industrial Use of Refined Copper and Scrap in Fabrication in China
o Refined Copper Prices and the Demand for Scrap
(2017)
 Chinese scrap market developments
 The Shift in Regional Scrap Processing Capacity  Manufacture and Use of Semi‐fabricated copper in Latin
 Regulations on Recycling and Trade America/Canada (2017)
 Technology
 Fabrication and Copper Use in Indian Subcontinent, ASEAN and
Oceania (2015)
 Survey of Brass Mills, Copper Products and Foundries in China
(2014)

 Middle East and North Africa Copper Use Study (2014)

 Copper and Copper Alloy Scrap Supply Survey in EU‐27 (2013)


Industry Global Flows of Copper (2018) and Derived Recycling Rates
Figures produced for the International Copper Association by Fraunhofer ISI based on Environ. Sci. Technol. 47 (12), pp. 6564–6572 (freely
available under http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/es400069b).
Recycling
10‐yr avg
indicator
Recycling input
32%
rate
EoL recycling
16%
input rate
EoL collection
56%
rate
EoL processing
71%
rate
EoL recycling rate 40%
Overall
81%
processing rate
Overall recycling
56%
efficiency rate
Old Scrap Ratio 51%

The Flow of Copper
Trade Concen- Blister/ Refined Alloy Alloy Semis

trates/ Anode Copper Ingot Metals Net Trade
Matte
Fabrication
Mining Production
Wire rod Wire rod plant /
Wire mill
SX/EW

Refined Brass Semis Supply
Usage mill
Mine Smelter Refinery
Foundry
New Scrap
Chemicals Low Grade
By-products/
Tailings
slag/ashes
Other Plants Residues

Scrap
Recycling
Scrap for Scrap for Hydromet. Direct
Melt
Ingot
Smelting Refining Plant Maker
incl. low grade scrap alloys
refined

The Flow of Copper (cont.)

(EOL Management
Semis Finished Net EOL
Import Products Trade Products
adjusted for
export/reuse after
collection)
Manufacture Product Use End-of-Life Management
(Lifetime)
Construction C&D
Copper
Reservoir INEW
Product E&E Equipment Finished EOL
Supply Products
in Use Products
Ind. equipment IEW

Transport Abandoned/ ELV
Stored/
Consumer/ Gen. Reused
WEEE
End-of-Life
Other Uses
Products
MSW & Other

Low grade Recycling
Dissipative
from Fabr. losses new
scrap Uses
Disposal/
Other Uses
Recycling
New Old
Scrap Scrap
Scrap &
Low grade Other Metal
Recycling Net Trade Loops


ANNEX
World Copper Production and Refined Usage, 1960-2019
Thousand Metric Tonnes Copper
Source: ICSG

Mine Refined Refined Mine Refined Refined Mine Refined Refined
Production Production Usage Production Production Usage Production Production Usage
1960 3,924 4,998 4,738 1980 7,227 9,261 9,396 2000 13,199 14,793 15,122
1961 4,081 5,127 5,050 1981 7,721 9,573 9,522 2001 13,636 15,638 14,938
1962 4,216 5,296 5,048 1982 7,745 9,319 9,090 2002 13,487 15,354 15,133
1963 4,286 5,400 5,500 1983 7,824 9,541 9,510 2003 13,699 15,272 15,641
1964 4,443 5,739 5,995 1984 8,135 9,440 9,930 2004 14,594 15,918 16,743
1965 4,769 6,059 6,193 1985 8,288 9,616 9,798 2005 14,927 16,572 16,552
1966 4,987 6,324 6,445 1986 8,295 9,920 10,112 2006 14,983 17,288 16,917
1967 4,743 6,004 6,195 1987 8,620 10,148 10,293 2007 15,508 17,895 18,026
1968 5,010 6,653 6,523 1988 8,773 10,512 10,668 2008 15,532 18,191 17,877
1969 5,682 7,212 7,137 1989 9,086 10,908 11,081 2009 15,941 18,234 17,889
1970 5,900 7,592 7,291 1990 9,227 10,805 10,886 2010 15,987 18,981 19,130
1971 5,941 7,404 7,296 1991 9,373 10,686 10,563 2011 15,960 19,601 19,704
1972 6,541 8,100 7,942 1992 9,497 11,042 10,866 2012 16,687 20,194 20,468
1973 6,915 8,544 8,740 1993 9,571 11,274 10,992 2013 18,185 21,058 21,401
1974 7,097 8,759 8,310 1994 9,539 11,118 11,560 2014 18,422 22,490 22,908
1975 6,735 8,187 7,445 1995 10,070 11,817 12,043 2015 19,153 22,838 23,057
1976 7,289 8,632 8,539 1996 11,084 12,628 12,489 2016 20,393 23,357 23,487
1977 7,444 8,884 9,057 1997 11,514 13,425 13,082 2017 20,058 23,548 23,705
1978 7,306 9,030 9,527 1998 12,228 14,032 13,440 2018 20,565 24,058 24,484
1979 7,371 9,200 9,848 1999 12,767 14,576 14,223 2019/p 20,528 24,045 24,427
p/ preliminary

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International Copper Study Group

International Copper Study Group i

Chairperson Mr Mitsunori Fukuda (Japan)

International Copper Study Group ii

International Copper Study Group iii

International Copper Study Group 1

Key Physical Properties of Copper

Atomic Weight 63.54

Density 8960 kg m-3

Melting point 1356 K

Specific Heat cp (at 293 K) 0.383 kJ kg-1 K-1

Thermal conductivity 394 W m-1 K-1

Coefficient of linear expansion 16.5 x 10-6 K-1

Young's Modulus of Elasticity 110 x 109 N m-2

Electrical Conductivity (% IACS) 1.673 x 10-8 ohm-m But copper’s benefits extend beyond mechanical characteristics:

International Copper Study Group 2

International Copper Study Group 3

International Copper Study Group 4

International Copper Study Group 5

International Copper Study Group 6

International Copper Study Group 8

International Copper Study Group 9

International Copper Study Group 10

International Copper Study Group 11

Copper Mine Production by Country: Top 20 Countries in 2019

International Copper Study Group 12

8.0% 27,000 8.0% 6,000

International Copper Study Group 13

11 Chuquicamata Chile Codelco Concs & SX-EW 370

15 Radomiro Tomic Chile Codelco Concs & SX-EW 330

18 Bingham Canyon United States Kennecott Concentrates 280

International Copper Study Group 14

International Copper Study Group 15

Primary Feed Secondary Feed

International Copper Study Group 16

International Copper Study Group 17

Copper Smelter Production by Region, 1990-2019

Africa America Asia Europe Oceania

International Copper Study Group 18

International Copper Study Group 19

International Copper Study Group 20

Refinery Primary Refinery Secondary Refinery SX-EW

International Copper Study Group 21

Trends in Refined Capacity, 2000-2024

Electrolytic Electrowinning Fire Refining

International Copper Study Group 22

Refined Copper Production by Region, 1990-2019

Africa America Asia Europe Oceania

International Copper Study Group 23

International Copper Study Group 24

Rank Refinery Country Owner(s) Process Capacity

17 Jinguan (refinery) China Tongling Non-Ferrous Metals Group Electrolytic 400

International Copper Study Group 25

Chapter 4: Corporate Social Why is CSR Important?

International Copper Study Group 26

International Copper Study Group 27

Major International Trade

International Copper Study Group 28

Major International Trade of Copper Blister

International Copper Study Group 29

Major International Trade Flows of Refined

International Copper Study Group 30

International Copper Study Group 31

International Copper Study Group 32

Price LME (US cents/pound)

International Copper Study Group 33

International Copper Study Group 34

International Copper Study Group 35

International Copper Study Group 36

International Copper Study Group 37

Copper usage per GDP (tonnes/ US$ bln)