Copper

New Sources of COPPER are Critical to the Green Transition

Products with copper increase economic efficiency and environmental performance in multiple applications

Copper is used extensively in Electric Vehicles and supporting infrastructure

Over $500 billion spent globally in carbon-free energy transition in 2020 alone1

Global commitments to add some 826 GW of nonhydro renewable power capacity by 2030, at likely cost of ~$1 trillion2

United States Faces new Challenges Meeting Increased Demand for Critical Minerals One Year After Historic Inflation Reduction Act

Inflation Reduction Act: Impact on North America metals and minerals market, S&P Global Market Intelligence, August 2023


Urgent need for massive new copper supply to come online in the near future if there is to be any hope of achieving the goal of Net-Zero Emissions by 2050

The Future of Copper: Will the looming supply gap short-circuit the energy transition? S&P Global, July 2022


Global copper consumption expected to increase by >40% by 2035, 100% by 2050

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Transition to clean energy embedded in key economic recovery policies

  • US Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act includes significant expenditures on clean energy, EV infrastructure and other transportation initiatives3
  • US Inflation Reduction Act includes an investment of over $360 billion over 10 years to increase energy security and address climate change4
  • EU Green Deal calls for clean energy for green recovery and growth
  • China 14th Five-Year Plan calls for aggressive sustainable energy goals to reach carbon neutrality by 2060

Recycling cannot fill the gap

  • Global manufacturers (2006-2015) used 25 Mt of copper, 35% was recycled copper5
  • Even a 100% end-of-life recycling rate for metals is not enough to meet the growing demand for clean energy technologies6

Copper should be added to the US Critical Minerals List

  • Copper is key to the generation and transmission of energy and an essential part of the green transition
  • Following the lead of the EU, Canada, Japan, India, China and other countries, in 2023, US Department of Energy has characterized copper as near-critical/medium-term (2025-2025) in Critical Minerals Assessment 7

Where will the USA get its copper?

Comparative Size of World’s Top Undeveloped Copper Projects by Contained Copper*

* all 3 US projects are currently halted due to permitting roadblocks.

  1. https://sustainablecopper.org/2020-trends-a-year-in-review/
  2. https://www.fs-unep-centre.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/GTR_2020.pdf
  3. https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/08/02/updated-fact-sheet-bipartisan-infrastructure-investment-and-jobs-act/
  4. https://www.whitehouse.gov/cleanenergy/clean-energy-tax-provisions/
  5. https://sn.astm.org/features/bright-future-recycled-copper-jf22.html
  6. https://copperalliance.org/policy-focus/society-economy/circular-economy
  7. https://www.energy.gov/eere/articles/us-department-energy-releases-2023-critical-materials-assessment-evaluate-supply
  8. Mining Intelligence 2022

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