Global refined copper consumption distribution 2023, by region

The world’s largest consumer of refined copper in 2023 was China. That year, China accounted for 57 percent of the total global copper consumption volume.

What is copper used for?

Copper is a versatile base metal that is vital for different sectors. Copper is commonly used for making electrical wiring. It also used in building construction, producing industrial machinery, transportation vehicles, architectural applications, and fuel gas. It is an important part of connectors, brakes, and wiring.

Production and consumption of refined copper

In 2020, global refined copper consumption reached an estimated 23.4 million metric tons. While China is the largest consumer of refined copper, it is also the largest refined copper producing country. In 2020 China was responsible for nearly 42 percent share of the total global production of refined copper, or over ten million metric tons. Following China was Chile, which produced 2.3 million metric tons of refined copper. In 2020, there was about 20 million metric tons of copper produced in mines worldwide, while global refined copper production amounted to over 23.9 million metric tons.