Mineral Commodities

Copper

World mine and refinery production and reserves, 2024–2025

On the U.S. 2025 critical minerals listUSGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026

Share of world mine production, 2025 · world total 23 million metric tons

  • Chile 23%
  • DR Congo 14%
  • Peru 12%
  • China 7.8%
  • Russia 5.6%
  • United States 4.3%
  • Zambia 4.1%
  • Australia 3.2%
  • All other countries 26%

Chile accounted for 23% of world mine production of copper in 2025 (5.3 million metric tons). Among the main producers, Indonesia changed most: −30% on 2024. U.S. imports of copper (refined) rose from 919 thousand metric tons in 2021 to 1,700 thousand metric tons in 2025 (copper content). Finland supplied 88% of U.S. imports of copper content of blister and anodes in 2021–24, more than any other country.

Producer log

17 countries listed separately

World mine and refinery production and reserves. Units: thousand metric tons, copper content. 2025 figures are USGS estimates.
CountryMine production 2024Mine production 2025Share of world 2025Change on 2024Refinery production 2024Refinery production 2025Change on 2024ReservesShare of world reserves
Chile5,5105,30023%−3.8%1,9401,700−12%180,00018%
DR Congo2,9903,20014%+7%2,5602,800+9.4%80,0008.2%
Peru2,7402,70012%−1.5%385340−12%85,0008.7%
China1,8401,8007.8%−2.2%12,40014,000+13%41,0004.2%
Russia1,0201,3005.6%+28%896950+6%80,0008.2%
United States1,0501,0004.3%−4.8%921850−7.7%47,0004.8%
Zambia8239404.1%+14%189270+43%21,0002.1%
Australia7657303.2%−4.6%434460+6%100,00010%
Indonesia1,0107103.1%−30%349400+15%21,0002.1%
Kazakhstan7247103.1%−1.9%498500+0.4%20,0002%
Mexico7176903%−3.8%489480−1.8%53,0005.4%
Canada5155002.2%−2.9%324320−1.2%7,0000.7%
Poland4004101.8%+2.5%589560−4.9%33,0003.4%
India27230.1%−15%545620+14%2,2000.2%
Germany00597610+2.2%0
Japan001,5701,400−11%0
South Korea00604610+1%0
Other countries2,8503,00013%2,3102,100210,000
World total23,00023,000100%0%27,60029,000+5.1%980,000100%

Output versus reserves

same commodity, two measures

Mine production, 2025

  • Chile 23%
  • DR Congo 14%
  • Peru 12%
  • China 7.8%
  • Russia 5.6%
  • All other countries 38%

Reserves (world 980 million metric tons)

  • Chile 18%
  • Australia 10%
  • Peru 8.7%
  • DR Congo 8.2%
  • Russia 8.2%
  • All other countries 46%

Reserves are the part of identified deposits that USGS considers economic to extract now; they change as prices, technology and surveys change. At the 2025 rate, the world reserve figure equals about 43 years of output.

United States

supply, trade and import sources

57%

Net import reliance in 2025, as a percentage of apparent consumption.

202144
202241
202342
202445
202557

Import sources of copper content of blister and anodes, 2021–24

  • Finland 88%
  • Malaysia 3%
  • United Kingdom 3%
  • Other countries 6%

Estimated end uses in the United States

  • Building construction42%
  • Electrical and electronic products23%
  • Transportation equipment18%
  • Consumer and general products10%
  • Industrial machinery and equipment7%
United States, 2021–2025 (thousand metric tons, copper content, unless the row says otherwise). W = withheld by USGS; NA = not available; 2025 estimated.
Item20212022202320242025
Production: Mine, recoverable1,2301,2301,1301,0501,000
Production — Refinery: Primary (from ore)931917843882790
Production — Refinery: Secondary (from scrap)4940393960
Copper recovered from old (post-consumer) scrap169152137140160
Imports for consumption: Ore and concentrate11123under ½under ½
Imports for consumption: Refined9197327719031,700
Exports: Ore and concentrate344351339326340
Exports: Refined48272972110
Consumption: Reported, refined copper1,7501,7201,5801,5801,700
Consumption: Apparent, primary refined copper and copper from old scrap1,9701,8101,6801,8602,200
Employment, mine and plant, number11,40012,00012,60013,00013,000
Open in the producer explorerWho produces the U.S. critical minerals

Source: USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, Copper chapter (PDF page 80). How to read these figures.