Copper
EU import reliance for copper is 48%. From 2016 to 2020, EU mining capacity covered about a quarter of demand and EU recycling more than half.
Figures
Copper in four figures
EU import reliance
48%
net imports as a share of EU apparent consumption
Source: European Commission, 2023 study (2016 to 2020)
World refining
47%
China’s share of world copper refining, 2025
Source: IEA 2026; USGS 2026
Main EU source
19%
Poland, from its own mines. Next is Chile with 14%.
Source: European Commission, 2023 study (2016 to 2020)
EU demand
3.7Mt
of refined copper a year, 2016 to 2020
Source: SCRREEN, copper factsheet
Data as of 27 October 2026
Supply in Europe
Europe’s own supply
EU capacity as a share of EU copper demand, 2016 to 2020.
- EU demand100%
- EU extraction capacityAbout 25%
- EU processing capacityAbout 72%
- EU recycling capacityAbout 55%
One grain is 1% of EU copper demand. Source: European Court of Auditors, Special report 04/2026; SCRREEN, capacity 2016 to 2020
Outlook
What comes next
- Known resources
- 19 years of EU demand
- Supply gap
- The IEA expects mined copper supply from the current project pipeline to fall about 25% short of demand in 2035.
- EU imports
- €17.6bn in 2025. Chile supplied 22%.
Sources: SCRREEN; IEA 2026; Eurostat Comext. Resources are not reserves.
Origin
Where copper comes from
Use
Where copper is used
Electric car
About
53kg
of copper in a car with a 75 kWh NMC battery
Source: IEA, The Role of Critical Minerals in Clean Energy Transitions (2021)
Data centre
About
27t
of copper per megawatt in one US data centre
Source: BHP
Events
Events and measures
- Oct 2026
- United States
Mercuria delivers the first 12,000 tonnes of Congolese copper to Project Vault, the US government’s stockpile for industry.
Source: Reuters; Fastmarkets
- Aug 2026
- London Metal Exchange
Copper reaches a record US$14,850 a tonne on 17 August.
Source: Cochilco, reported by Reporte Minero
- Jun 2025
- European Union
Selects Nussir in Norway as a Strategic Project outside the EU.
Source: European Commission
- European Commission, Study on the critical raw materials for the EU (2023)
- European Court of Auditors, Special report 04/2026, Critical raw materials for the energy transition
- IEA, Global Critical Minerals Outlook 2026
- USGS, Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026
- SCRREEN, copper factsheet
- IEA, The Role of Critical Minerals in Clean Energy Transitions (2021)
- BHP, Why AI tools and data centres are driving copper demand (2025)
- Eurostat Comext, extra-EU imports 2025
- Reuters and Fastmarkets, on Mercuria’s delivery to Project Vault, October 2026
- Reporte Minero, August 2026 (Cochilco data)
- European Commission, Strategic Projects outside the EU, June 2025
