In 2023, Peru produced 2.6 million metric tons of copper. The ten leading countries in world copper production as of 2022 were Chile, Peru, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, China, the United States, Russia, Indonesia, Australia, Zambia, and Mexico.
Major countries in world copper production
Chile, the world's leading copper producer by far, produced an estimated 5.3 million metric tons of copper in 2023. In second place was Peru, with an estimated copper mine production of 2.6 million metric tons that same year. The world's third-largest copper producer from mines is China. In 2023, China produced an estimated 1.7 million metric tons of copper from mines, about a third of Chile's production.
The leading copper mines in the world
The largest copper mines in the world are located primarily in the largest copper producing nations in the world. As Chile is the world's largest producer of copper, it is not surprising that three of the world's ten largest copper mines based on capacity are located there. At the top of the list is the Escondida mine, located in the Atacama Desert in Chile's Antofa*gasta Region. It had a capacity of some 1.5 million metric tons of copper in 2022, which is nearly twice the capacity of the world's second-largest copper mine, located in Indonesia.
FAQs
Chile, the world's leading copper producer by far, produced an estimated 5.3 million metric tons of copper in 2023. In second place was Peru, with an estimated copper mine production of 2.6 million metric tons that same year. The world's third-largest copper producer from mines.
Which country is the largest producer of copper in the world 2023? ›
Introduction
| # | Country | Copper Production |
|---|
| 1 | People's Republic of China | 5,733,100 t |
| 2 | Peru | 2,150,126 t |
| 3 | Democratic Republic of the Congo | 1,712,964 t |
| 4 | United States of America | 1,200,000 t |
51 more rowsIn terms of output, global copper output from ore in 2023 was 22 million tons. The main copper-producing countries were Chile (5 million tons), Peru (2.6 million tons), China (1.7 million tons), and the United States (1.1 million tons).
Which country produces copper the most? ›
1. Chile - Largest Producer of Copper in The World. Renowned as the globe's foremost copper producer, Chile dominates the industry with an impressive output of 5.62 million metric tonnes in 2021. Backed by reserves totaling approximately 200 million metric tonnes, Chile houses three of the world's largest mines.
In which 5 states is 99% of the copper found in the USA located? ›
Within the United States, mining and production of copper are primarily located in the West, specifically Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, Nevada and Montana. According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), production in these states and Michigan account for more than 99% of domestic copper production.
Who is the largest consumer of copper in the world? ›
China is the World's Largest Producer and Consumer of Copper Materials, with Wide Applications in Renewable Energy, Electric Vehicles and Other Fields.
Where is the largest copper mine in the world? ›
The Escondida mine in Chile is the world's largest copper mine based on capacity, at some 1.4 million metric tons. Escondida is owned by BHP Billiton, Rio Tinto, and Japan Escondida. Grasberg mine, in Indonesia, is the second largest copper mine worldwide, with a capacity of more around 770,000 metric tons.
Does the US have a lot of copper? ›
Of the identified copper that has yet to be taken out of the ground, about 65% is found in just five countries on Earth -- Chile, Australia, Peru, Mexico, and the United States.
Where does the US import copper from? ›
United States imports Raw Copper primarily from: Zambia ($2.73M), Finland ($1.72M), United Kingdom ($832k), Sweden ($176k), and Netherlands ($108k). The fastest growing import markets in Raw Copper for United States between 2021 and 2022 were United Kingdom ($178k), Sweden ($176k), and Canada ($88.2k).
Why does Chile have so much copper? ›
Geological Formation: The geology of Chile is favorable for copper mining. The country has a long history of tectonic and volcanic activity, which has contributed to the formation of valuable copper ore deposits.
China is the world's largest consumer of refined copper in the world.
Where does China get its copper? ›
China imports Copper Ore primarily from: Chile ($15.6B), Peru ($10.3B), Mexico ($2.9B), Mongolia ($2.73B), and Kazakhstan ($2.04B). The fastest growing import markets in Copper Ore for China between 2021 and 2022 were Indonesia ($794M), Democratic Republic of the Congo ($757M), and Kazakhstan ($591M).
Does the US import copper? ›
Between 2019 and 2022, around 64 percent of all imports of refined copper to the United States came from Chile. In that period, Canada and Mexico were other important copper trading allies for the United States.
What US state has the most copper? ›
As can be seen in the following map, Arizona has by far the largest cluster of copper deposits in the United States, and it is one of the largest groupings in the world (second only the the central Andes of northern Chile and southern Peru).
Who owns the largest copper mine in the US? ›
Morenci Mine in Arizona, was the largest copper-producing mine in United States, producing approximately 397.5 thousand tonnes of copper and an estimated 169.5 million metric tons per annum (mmtpa) of Run-of-Mine (ROM) in 2021. The Morenci Mine is owned by Freeport-McMoRan Inc, and is due to operate until 2044.
Who is the largest copper producer in the USA? ›
Leading copper-producing mines
| Rank | Mine | Annual production (thousand tonnes) |
|---|
| 1 | Morenci | 286 (2021) |
| 2 | Bingham Canyon | 202 (2021) |
| 3 | Safford | 120 (2021) |
| 4 | Sierrita | 86 (2021) |
15 more rowsChile is the top copper producer in the world, with 27% of global copper production. In addition, the country is home to the two largest mines in the world, Escondida and Collahuasi. Chile is followed by another South American country, Peru, responsible for 10% of global production.
Is Chile the largest producer of copper in the world? ›
Chile is the top copper producer in the world with 24 percent of global copper production and, according to United States Geological Survey (USGS), the world's second largest producer of lithium with approximately 30 percent share of world production.
Is China the largest producer of copper? ›
China was the world's third-largest producer of copper from mines in 2021, having produced an 8.6 percent share of the world's mine production of copper.
What countries sell the most copper? ›
Chile is the world's leading exporter of copper, exporting almost 22 billion U.S. dollars' worth of the metal in 2022. The Democratic Republic of the Congo was the second-largest copper exporting country that year, at nearly 17 billion U.S. dollars in export value.
