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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

Key facts

  • In 2022, Canadian mines produced 510,782 tonnes of copper in concentrate, with over half originating from British Columbia.
  • Canada’s exports of copper and copper-based products were valued at $9.4 billion in 2022.
  • Chile is the leading global producer of copper, accounting for 24% of global production in 2022.
  • The green energy transition is anticipated to significantly increase demand for copper because of its uses in electricity networks and clean energy technologies, such as electric vehicles.

Learn more about copper

Uses

Copper is used in a variety of industries such as manufacturing, construction and transportation. Copper is 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.

Copper, global uses, 2021

bar chart
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This pie chart shows the major global uses of copper in 2021 (data for 2022 is unavailable). The largest use was for equipment manufacturing (32%), followed by building construction (28%), infrastructure (16%), transportation (12%) and industrial uses (12%).

Production

Canada has almost 900 million tonnes of copper reserves in abundant deposits of sulphide and porphyry. Usually, copper is extracted as a co-product of other metals including gold, molybdenum, zinc, nickel and lead.

Canadian mines produced 510,782 tonnes of copper in concentrate in 2022, a 0.3% increase from a decade low of 509,350 tonnes in 2021. Canadian production decreased 17.7% overall between 2013 and 2022, from 620,989 tonnes to 510,782 tonnes.

Refined copper is produced at two sites in Canada, in Quebec and Newfoundland and Labrador.

Canadian mine production of copper, 2013–2022 (p)

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This bar graph shows Canada's annual mine production of copper from 2013 to 2022. Production was 620,989 tonnes in 2013 and increased gradually to a peak of 697,322 tonnes in 2015. Production then decreased to 527,510 tonnes in 2018, climbed to 581,713 tonnes in 2020, decreased to 509,350 tonnes in 2021, and increased to 510,782 tonnes in 2022.

British Columbia was Canada’s largest copper producer with almost 53% of total Canadian production. The province is home to Canada’s largest copper mine, Highland Valley, near Logan Lake. The mine produced 119,000 tonnes of copper in 2022.

Consult a map of producing Canadian mines

Canadian mine production of copper, by province and territory, 2022 (p)

Ranking Province Thousand tonnes Percentage
1 British Columbia 270 52.8
2 Ontario 159 31.2
3 Newfoundland and Labrador 22 4.2
4 Manitoba 20 4.0
Others 40 7.8
Total 511 100

International context

Chile was the world leader in mined copper production in 2022 with 5.2 million tonnes of copper, or 24.0% of the global total of mined production. The total world mined copper production was approximately 22 million tonnes in 2022. Canada produced 2.4% of mined copper globally, ranking 12th overall.

In 2021, world refined copper production was 24.9 million tonnes (20.8 million tonnes from primary sources and 4.1 million tonnes from secondary sources). In 2022, production increased 2.8% to 25.6 million tonnes (21.5 million tonnes from primary sources and 4.2 million tonnes from secondary sources).

World mine production of copper, by country, 2022 (p)

Ranking Country Thousand tonnes Percentage
1 Chile 5,200 24
2 Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) 2,200 10
3 Peru 2,200 10
4 China 1,900 9
5 United States 1,300 6
6 Russia 1,000 5
7 Indonesia 920 4
8 Australia 830 4
9 Zambia 770 4
10 Mexico 740 3
Other countries 4,900 22
Total (rounded) 22,000 100

World mine production of copper, 2013–2022 (p)

bar graph
Text version

This bar graph shows the world's annual production of mined copper from 2013 to 2022. Production was 18.2 million tonnes in 2013 and increased gradually to a peak of 22.0 million tonnes by 2022.

World refined production of copper, 2013–2022 (p)

bar graph
Text version

This bar graph shows the world refined production of copper from 2013 to 2022 from both primary and secondary sources. Refined copper production was 21.1 million tonnes in 2013 (17.3 million tonnes from primary and 3.8 million tonnes from secondary sources). Production increased steadily across the decade to a combined total of 25.6 million tonnes in 2022 with 21.5 million tonnes from primary and 4.2 million tonnes from secondary sources.

World reserves

Chile had the largest global copper reserves in 2022 with 190 million tonnes, or 21% of the world total. The global copper reserves are estimated at 886 million tonnes, and Canada is estimated to have 7.6 million tonnes or 1% of the global total.

World reserves of copper, by country, 2022 (p)

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This circular chart shows the estimated percentages of world reserves of copper by country in 2022. Chile had the largest share with 21%, followed by Australia (11%), Peru (9%), Russia (7%), Mexico (6%), the United States (5%), Poland (3%), China (3%), Indonesia (3%), Kazakhstan (2%), and Zambia (2%). Canada did not rank within the top 10 but had 1% of the known global copper reserves. All other countries combined accounted for 23%.

Trade

Canada's total trade (exports and imports) in copper and copper-based products in 2022 was valued at $15.5 billion.

Exports

Canada's total copper and copper-based products domestic exports were valued at $9.4 billion in 2022, a 5% decrease from $9.9 billion in 2021. The United States was the main importer of Canadian copper-based products, importing 52% of the total value, followed by China (17%) and Japan (13%).

Canada exported 396,277 tonnes of copper in copper ores and concentrates in 2022, a decrease of 5% from 2021. These exports were valued at $3.6 billion, which is a 15% decrease from 2021 values. China and Japan were the leading destinations of Canadian copper concentrate in 2022.

In 2022, Canada exported 136,254 tonnes of refined copper, which is a 14% decrease from 2021. These exports of refined copper were valued at $1.6 billion in 2022, down 13% from 2021.

Imports

Total copper and copper-based products imports were valued at $6.0 billion in 2022, up 15% from 2021. Refined copper alone was valued at $388 million.

In 2022, the United States was the primary source of Canada’s copper and copper-based products imports, accounting for almost half of the total (49%), followed by Chile (17%), Zambia (9%), and China (5%). Smaller amounts were imported from 129 other countries.

Prices

The price of copper has fluctuated significantly over the last decade. The average monthly price per tonne was US$7,332 in 2013, with a peak average monthly price of US$10,231 in March 2022. Prices declined after 2013, reaching a decade low of US$4,472 for the monthly average price per tonne in 2016. The price partially recovered in 2018 to US$7,066.

Prices dropped in early 2020 with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, but recovered and began climbing quickly in late 2020 to reach US$10,162 in May 2021. The average price in 2022 was relatively high at US$8,822 after several fluctuations. In March 2022, the average monthly price of US$10,231 was a decade high. The price dropped to US$7,545 by July before recovering to US$8,375 by December.

Copper price, monthly average, nominal US$ per tonne, 2013–2022

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This line graph shows the monthly average nominal price of copper in US dollars per tonne from 2013 to 2022. Starting from $8,047 in January 2013, prices declined steadily to $4,868 per tonne in 2016. Prices recovered to $6,530 per tonne in 2018 before declining to $6,010 per tonne in 2019 and increasing to $6,174 per tonne in 2020. The average price increased rapidly to $10,162 by May 2021. Average monthly 2022 prices ranged between $7,545 and $10,231 before reaching $8,375 by December.

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 33% of the world's copper consumption came from recycled copper in 2021.

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.

Notes and sources

(p) preliminary

Totals may be different because of rounding.

All dollars are Canadian unless otherwise indicated.

Uses

  • Copper, global uses, 2021
    • International Copper Study Group

Production

  • Canadian mine production of copper, 2013–2022 (p)
    • Natural Resources Canada
  • Canadian mine production of copper, by province and territory, 2022 (p)
    • Natural Resources Canada

International context

  • World mine production of copper, by country, 2022 (p)
    • U.S. Geological Survey, Mineral Commodity Summaries, January 2023
  • World mine production of copper, 2013–2022 (p)
    • International Copper Study Group
    • U.S. Geological Survey, Mineral Commodity Summaries, January 2023
  • World refined production of copper, 2013–2022 (p)
    • International Copper Study Group
  • World reserves of copper, by country, 2022 (p)
    • U.S. Geological Survey, Mineral Commodity Summaries, January 2023

Trade

  • Statistics Canada
    • Mineral trade includes ores, concentrates, and semi- and final-fabricated mineral products HS chapter 74 – copper and articles thereof.
    • Copper in copper ores and concentrates consist of HS code 2603.00.10.
    • Refined copper consists of HS subchapter 7403.

Prices

  • Copper price, monthly average, nominal US$ per tonne, 2013–2022
    • World Bank Commodity Price Data (The Pink Sheet)

Recycling

  • Copper, recycling, 2021
    • International Copper Study Group

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