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TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Copper plays an important role in human life. The reddish metal is essential to many industries, particularly the manufacture of electrical equipment such as wiring and motors. This is due to its inherent ability to efficiently conduct electricity and heat.
Given these benefits, several countries around the world have established themselves as prominent copper producers, leading the way in the production of this metal for various purposes. So where is the world leader in copper production?
This article presents an overview of the top copper producers by country, featuring Chile, the United States (U.S.), Indonesia, and a few others.
Top 10 Copper Producers by Country in the World
The information in the following article is based on research by Statista and Visual Capitalist, which outlines copper production by country in 2023, which is the latest data available. Scroll down for more.
1. Chile (5 million metric tons)
Chile tops our list of the world's top copper producers by country. In 2023, the South American country's production of the metal reached about 5 million metric tons, accounting for about 27 percent of global copper production, according to the World Economic Forum.
However, by the end of 2024, the figure is set to increase by 5 percent to about 5.5 million tons, according to Global Business Reports.
Visual Capitalist also adds that the two largest copper mines are in Chile, namely Escondida and Collahuasi.
2. Peru (2.6 million metric tons)
As the second largest copper producer, Peru is a major contributor to the global supply. According to Visual Capitalist, both Chile and Peru account for one-third of the world's copper production.
In terms of copper production, Peru produced around 2.6 million tons in 2023. However, the country experienced a notable drop in production during the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, largely due to the imposition of lockdown and contact restrictions.
3. Democratic Republic of Congo (2.5 million metric tons)
The Democratic Republic of Congo (D.R. Congo) follows closely behind Peru in third place with 2.5 million tonnes of copper production in 2023. This figure is reportedly seven times higher than in 2010, signaling significant growth in the industry in the central African country.
4. China (1.7 million metric tons)
In 2023, China's copper production stood at around 1.7 million metric tons, indicating a slight decrease from the previous year. In addition, the economic giant also stands out as the largest gold producing country, coming in at 370 metric tons of gold in 2023.
5. United States (1.1 million metric tons)
The U.S. has long been a major player on the international stage. It is even increasing its prominence in the copper sector. In 2023, the U.S. was the fifth-largest copper-producing country, producing 1.1 million metric tons.
Given this figure, the U.S. has exported a good portion of its raw copper to numerous countries. According to the Observatory of Economic Complexity (OEC), Canada, South Korea, India, Malaysia, and Mexico are some of the top destinations for U.S. crude copper.
6. Russia (910,000 metric tons)
According to Mining Technology, Russia has significant copper mines, such as Oktyabrsky and Komsomolsky. These mines contributed to Russia's 910,000 metric tons of copper production in 2023.
7. Indonesia (840,000 metric tons)
In seventh place on our list of top copper producers by country is Indonesia. The Southeast Asian country contributes 4 percent of the world's total production, with an estimated 840,000 metric tons of copper.
8. Australia (810,000 metric tons)
Australia is rich in various minerals, one of which is copper. The production surpassed 800,000 tons in 2023 and the country has exported a significant amount of its copper ores and concentrates to Japan, South Korea, the Philippines, and some others.
Aside from copper, Australia stands out for its lithium production. The country produced up to 61,000 metric tons in 2023, making it the largest lithium-producing country by far.
9. Zambia (760,000 metric tons)
Zambia is another African country that makes our list of the top 10 copper producers by country. It amassed around 760,000 tons of copper in 2023. However, the number is expected to exceed about 1 million tons by 2026, according to Reuters.
10. Mexico (750,000 metric tons)
According to GlobalData, of the more than 709 operating copper mines in the world, 45 are located in Mexico. Their copper production stood at 750,000 metric tons in 2023, with Sonora being the country's leading state.
From Chile to Mexico, these are the leaders in terms of copper producers by country worldwide. Find more similar articles on Tempo.
Statista | Visual Capitalist
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