Copper facts

Copper is a soft and malleable metal that is used in:

• electrical wires and cables for its conductivity
• plumbing, industrial machinery and construction materials for its durability, machinability, corrosion resistance, and ability to be cast with high precision
• many emerging and clean technologies, such as solar cells and electric vehicles

Learn more about copper

Uses

Copper is used in a variety of industries such as manufacturing and construction. Copper is also essential to all living organisms as a trace dietary mineral. The adult human body contains between 1.4 and 2.1 milligrams of copper per kilogram of body weight. The green energy transition is anticipated to significantly increase demand for copper because of its uses in expanding electricity networks and clean energy technologies, such as electric vehicles.

Production

Canadian mines produced almost 542,000 tonnes of copper in concentrate in 2021, a 6% decrease from 2020 attributed to decreased production primarily in Ontario because of a labour disruption in Sudbury. British Columbia was Canada’s largest producer with 57% of all Canadian copper production.

Consult a map of producing Canadian mines

International context

Chile was the world leader in mined copper production in 2021 with 5.6 million tonnes of copper, or 28%, of the global total of mined production. The total world mined copper production was approximately 21 million tonnes in 2021. Canada produced 3% of mined copper globally, ranking 11th place overall.

World refined copper production increased by 1% from 24.5 million tonnes (20.7 million tonnes from primary sources and 3.8% from secondary sources) in 2020 to 24.9 million tonnes refined copper (20.8 million tonnes from primary sources and 4.1 million tonnes from secondary sources) in 2021.

World mine production of copper, by country, 2021 (p)

Ranking	Country	Thousand tonnes	Percentage
1	Chile	5,600	26.8%
2	Peru	2,200	10.5%
3	China	1,800	8.6%
4	Dem. Rep. Congo	1,800	8.6%
5	United States	1,200	5.7%
6	Australia	900	4.0%
7	Zambia	830	3.9%
8	Russia	820	3.9%
9	Indonesia	810	3.9%
10	Mexico	720	3.4%
11	Canada	542	2.6%
	Other countries	3,710	17.7%
Total (rounded)		21,000	100.0%

World reserves

Chile had the largest global copper reserves in 2020 with 200 million tonnes, or 23% of the world total. The global copper reserves are estimated at 880 million tonnes, and Canada is estimated to have 9.8 million tonnes or 1% of the global total.

Trade

Canada's total trade (exports and imports) in copper and copper-based products in 2021 was valued at $15.0 billion.

Exports

Canada's total copper and copper-based products domestic exports were valued at $9.9 billion in 2021, a 34% increase from $7.4 billion in 2020. The main importer of Canadian copper-based products was the United States, importing 50% of the total value, with China (15%) and Japan (12%), as second and third, respectively.

Canada exported 429,513 tonnes of copper in copper ores and concentrates in 2021, a decrease of 6% from 455,153 tonnes exported in 2020. These exports were valued at $4.2 billion, representing a 21% increase from 2020 values. China and Japan were the leading destinations of Canadian copper concentrate in 2021.

Canada exported 157,958 tonnes of refined copper in 2021, representing an 8% decrease compared to 172,327 tonnes in 2020. These exports of refined copper were valued at $1.8 billion in 2021, up 30% from $1.4 billion in 2020.

Imports

Total copper and copper-based products imports were valued at $5.1 billion in 2021, up 48% from $3.5 billion in 2020. Refined copper alone was valued at $727 million.

In 2021, the United States was the primary source of Canada’s copper and copper-based products imports, accounting for over half of the total (56%), followed by Chile (16%), the Democratic Republic of Congo (5%) and China (4%). Smaller amounts were imported from 117 other countries.

Prices

The price of copper has fluctuated significantly over the last decade. The average monthly price per tonne was US$7,962 in 2012, with a peak average monthly price of US$8,470 in March 2021. Prices declined after 2012 to US$4,868 monthly average price per tonne in 2016 before partially recovering in 2018 to US$6,530. Prices dipped in early 2020 with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, but quickly recovered and began climbing quickly in late 2020 to reach a peak of $US10,162 in May 2021. Prices stayed relatively high in 2021 and averaged US$9,317 for the year.

Recycling

Copper is one of the few materials that does not degrade or lose its chemical and physical properties during the recycling process. Recycling has the potential to extend the use of resources and minimize waste.

The International Copper Study Group estimated that 30% of the world's copper consumption came from recycled copper in 2019.

Canada maintains a strong copper recycling industry. Substantial amounts of the metal are recovered in the Quebec-based smelter and refinery located in Rouyn-Noranda and Montréal, respectively.