Where does the US get copper from?

On July 8 (Tuesday), U.S. President Trump stated that he planned to announce later that day a 50% tariff on imported copper semis, a move that has shocked related global industries. The products of these industries are crucial for EVs, military equipment, semiconductors, and numerous consumer goods.

In February this year, Trump ordered an investigation into potential copper tariffs, with a deadline set for November, as part of efforts to rebuild U.S. copper production.

It remains unclear whether this investigation, aimed at assessing imports of raw ore copper, copper concentrates, copper alloys, copper scrap, and derivative products, has been concluded.

According to CCTV News, on July 9 local time, U.S. President Trump announced on the social media platform "Truth Social" that the U.S. would impose a 50% tariff on imported copper, effective from August 1, 2025.

Here is an overview of U.S. copper imports:

U.S. Imports

The annual domestic production of refined copper in the U.S. is only slightly more than half of its consumption. Over two-thirds of this copper is produced in Arizona, where the development of a large new mine has been stalled for over a decade. The remaining approximately 1 million mt of refined copper is obtained through imports each year.

Most of the refined copper imported by the U.S. comes from the Americas.

According to data from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Chile, Canada, and Peru accounted for over 90% of U.S. refined copper imports last year.

Global Production

According to USGS data, Chile and Peru together mined approximately one-third of the world's copper last year. The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has now surpassed Peru to become the world's second-largest copper-producing country.

Global Refined Copper Production

China's copper smelting industry dwarfs that of all other countries. Last year, dozens of copper smelters were in operation in China. Meanwhile, according to USGS data, the U.S. had only two primary copper smelters.

(Wenhua Comprehensive)