Skip to main content

Nasdaq Commodities

Copper Reserves: Top 5 Countries (Updated 2024)

2 years 6 months ago
Copper has become a hot topic due to its role in the green energy transition and its necessity for urbanization. However, the lack of incoming supply in the long-term has experts concerned.The term “peak copper” was coined because some experts believe that copper reserves may be diminishing; as a result, it’s prudent to know the top copper reserves by country when considering investing in the mining industry.The Copper Development Association pegs current known worldwide copper ore resources at nearly 5.8 trillion pounds, of which only about 0.7 trillion pounds, or 12 percent, have been mined throughout history. Plus, nearly all of that mined copper is still in circulation, as the red metal’s recycling rate is higher than that of any other engineering metal.With that in mind, what are the biggest copper reserves by country? According to the most recent data from the US Geological Survey, the countries with the largest copper coffers are Chile, Peru, Australia, Russia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Read on to learn more about these copper kingpins. 1. Chile Copper reserves: 190 million MTChile has the largest copper reserves of any country by far, with 190 million metric tons (MT) as of 2023. Chile’s reserves guarantee copper production for roughly the next 100 years at the current extraction rate.Chile is also the world’s largest copper producer, having produced some 5 million MT of copper from mines in 2023. BHP’s (ASX:BHP,LSE:BHP,NYSE:BHP) Escondida is the largest copper-producing mine in the world, and supply disruptions at the site — for example, due to wage negotiations — can also affect copper prices.Copper plays a significant role in the Chilean economy, with an estimated 20 percent of the nation’s gross domestic product attributed to copper production. While elevated prices in recent years were a boon for the country, economic and real estate troubles in China, a major importer of Chilean copper, has impacted the Latin American country. 2. Peru Copper reserves: 120 million MTPeru holds 120 million MT, or 12 percent, of the world’s copper reserves. In 2023, the country maintained its position as the second largest producer (tied with the Democratic Republic of Congo), with national copper output of 2.6 million MT. Peru’s largest copper reserves can be found at the Antamina, Toquepala, Cerro Verde, Cuajone and Tintaya mines. Antamina mine is Peru's largest copper mine, and it's operated by Antamina, a joint venture owned by BHP, Glencore (LSE:GLEN,OTC Pink:GLNCF), Teck Resources (TSX:TECK.A,TSX:TECK.B,NYSE:TECK) and Mitsubishi (TSE:8058). Southern Copper (NYSE:SCCO) operates the Toquepala and Cuajone mines, Freeport-McMoRan (NYSE:FCX) operates Cerro Verde in Arequipa and Glencore operates the Tintaya mine. 3. Australia Copper reserves: 100 million MTAt 100 million MT, Australia has the third largest copper reserves, housing around 10 percent of global reserves. However, its output is much lower than the top two countries, with 810,000 MT mined in 2023. According to the Australian government’s copper fact sheet, the nation’s copper resources are largely concentrated at the Olympic Dam copper-uranium-gold deposit in South Australia and at the Mount Isa copper-lead-zinc deposit in Queensland. Other important copper resources in the country are at the Northparkes copper-gold, CSA copper-lead-zinc and Girilambone copper deposits in New South Wales; the Ernest Henry, Osborne and Mammoth copper and copper-gold deposits at Selwyn in Queensland; the copper-zinc deposits at Golden Grove; and the Nifty copper deposit in Western Australia. 4. Democratic Republic of Congo Copper reserves: 80 million MTThe Democratic Republic of Congo has seen its copper reserves increase dramatically in recent years to tie with Russia as of 2023. One major copper asset in the DRC is Ivanhoe Mines’ (TSX:IVN,OTCQX:IVPAF) Kamoa-Kakula project, a joint venture the company shares with partner Zijin Mining Group (OTC Pink:ZIJMY,SHA:601899).As more projects are developed, the DRC is on track to eclipse Peru for the number two spot in copper production. In 2023, production in the African country reached 2.5 million MT. 4. Russia Copper reserves: 80 million MTThough the country isn’t particularly known for its copper production, Russia’s status in terms of copper reserves makes it a top global competitor. Its reserves are docketed at 80 million MT, but 2024 production was low, coming in at just 910,000 MT. One of the biggest copper operations in Russia is the Udokan deposit in Siberia, which is currently owned by Udokan Copper, previously named Baikal Mining Company. The deposit made headlines a few years back when it was revealed that the company was looking to raise US$1.25 billion to develop a mining and metallurgical plant at the project. The company successfully launched copper concentrate production at the new plant in September 2023. Don’t forget to follow us @INN_Resource for real-time news updates!Securities Disclosure: I, Melissa Pistilli, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
Investing News Network

US to Invest Over US$6 Billion in Clean Energy Initiatives

2 years 6 months ago
Over the last week, the US government has unveiled significant investments in clean energy and carbon-reduction initiatives that it believes will be pivotal steps toward a more sustainable future. Two key announcements, spearheaded by the Biden-Harris administration and facilitated by the Department of Energy (DOE), are poised to reshape both the industrial sector and mining communities across the nation.The first announcement, a commitment of up to US$6 billion, is set to cover 33 projects spanning over 20 states. This investment aims to decarbonize energy-intensive industries, including aluminum, cement, chemicals, iron and steel.“The industrial sector contributes nearly one-third of the nation’s overall greenhouse gas emissions,” a statement reads, emphasizing that the highest-emitting industries are being targeted. “This transformative federal investment is matched by the selected projects to leverage more than US$20 billion in total to demonstrate commercial-scale decarbonization solutions needed to move the industrial sector toward net-zero emissions.The funds will be sourced from the Inflation Reduction Act and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which was introduced in 2021 to address gaps in urban and rural development frontiers. The investment is a testament to the administration's dedication to revitalizing manufacturing communities, creating high-quality jobs and combating climate change.The second announcement allocates up to US$475 million to move forward at five clean energy projects located in current and former mining communities in Arizona, Kentucky, Nevada, Pennsylvania and West Virginia.The technologies deployed will range from solar and micro-grids to pumped storage hydropower, fostering economic growth and environmental stewardship in traditionally underserved mining communities.“President Biden believes that the communities that have powered our nation for the past 100 years should power our nation for the next 100 years,” said US Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm. “Thanks to the President’s Investing in America agenda, DOE is helping deploy clean energy solutions on current and former mine land across the country—supporting jobs and economic development in the areas hit hardest by our evolving energy landscape.”The overarching goal of these investments is twofold: to slash greenhouse gas emissions, as well as strengthen domestic manufacturing while fostering equitable economic development. Together, these initiatives are poised to significantly reduce carbon emissions, targeting a reduction of over 14 million metric tons of carbon dioxide annually.Putting it into perspective, this is equivalent to the net emissions produced by 3 million gasoline-powered cars in a year. By prioritizing the decarbonization of high-emitting industries and promoting clean energy projects on mine lands, the administration is also seeking to create a more resilient and inclusive energy landscape.Don't forget to follow us @INN_Resource for real-time updates!Securities Disclosure: I, Giann Liguid, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
Investing News Network

US to Invest Over US$6 Billion in Clean Energy Initiatives

2 years 6 months ago
Over the last week, the US government has unveiled significant investments in clean energy and carbon-reduction initiatives that it believes will be pivotal steps toward a more sustainable future. Two key announcements, spearheaded by the Biden-Harris administration and facilitated by the Department of Energy (DOE), are poised to reshape both the industrial sector and mining communities across the nation.The first announcement, a commitment of up to US$6 billion, is set to cover 33 projects spanning over 20 states. This investment aims to decarbonize energy-intensive industries, including aluminum, cement, chemicals, iron and steel.“The industrial sector contributes nearly one-third of the nation’s overall greenhouse gas emissions,” a statement reads, emphasizing that the highest-emitting industries are being targeted. “This transformative federal investment is matched by the selected projects to leverage more than US$20 billion in total to demonstrate commercial-scale decarbonization solutions needed to move the industrial sector toward net-zero emissions.The funds will be sourced from the Inflation Reduction Act and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which was introduced in 2021 to address gaps in urban and rural development frontiers. The investment is a testament to the administration's dedication to revitalizing manufacturing communities, creating high-quality jobs and combating climate change.The second announcement allocates up to US$475 million to move forward at five clean energy projects located in current and former mining communities in Arizona, Kentucky, Nevada, Pennsylvania and West Virginia.The technologies deployed will range from solar and micro-grids to pumped storage hydropower, fostering economic growth and environmental stewardship in traditionally underserved mining communities.“President Biden believes that the communities that have powered our nation for the past 100 years should power our nation for the next 100 years,” said US Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm. “Thanks to the President’s Investing in America agenda, DOE is helping deploy clean energy solutions on current and former mine land across the country—supporting jobs and economic development in the areas hit hardest by our evolving energy landscape.”The overarching goal of these investments is twofold: to slash greenhouse gas emissions, as well as strengthen domestic manufacturing while fostering equitable economic development. Together, these initiatives are poised to significantly reduce carbon emissions, targeting a reduction of over 14 million metric tons of carbon dioxide annually.Putting it into perspective, this is equivalent to the net emissions produced by 3 million gasoline-powered cars in a year. By prioritizing the decarbonization of high-emitting industries and promoting clean energy projects on mine lands, the administration is also seeking to create a more resilient and inclusive energy landscape.Don't forget to follow us @INN_Resource for real-time updates!Securities Disclosure: I, Giann Liguid, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
Investing News Network
Checked
31 minutes 48 seconds ago
This feed is responsible for generating the rss feed related to the topic Commodities
Subscribe to Nasdaq Commodities feed