China has made a significant move by investing billions of dollars in purchasing copper mines and their extraction and processing rights, particularly in Africa. Copper is one of the world’s most important key mineral resources, and China holds substantial influence in the region. As China attempts to control global mineral supplies, the United States is swiftly taking action to ensure access to critical minerals.
Mining experts suggest that Beijing’s actions are aimed at preparing to directly compete with the U.S. for African mineral resources. US President Trump announced a 50% tariff on copper imports effective August 1 to boost domestic mining and smelting industries.
The Africa Policy Research Institute notes that China dominates the extraction of key mineral resources in Africa, serving as a major buyer and investor while controlling the processing and refining of these minerals. Analysts warn that Beijing’s dominance in minerals and metals faces increasing competition from other major countries, notably the United States.
Trump has pledged to break China’s monopoly on global mineral supply chains by signing bilateral mineral agreements with resource-rich countries.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce emphasizes the importance of copper to the American economy, highlighting its wide-ranging applications in defense, infrastructure, and emerging technologies. The Chamber’s briefing in April stated copper’s crucial role in military equipment, communication systems, weapons, vehicles, combat readiness, and operational efficiency.
Furthermore, copper plays a vital role in advancing various sectors of the U.S. economy’s electrification, particularly in technologies like electric vehicles and renewable energy systems, reducing reliance on imported energy and enhancing energy security.
Bernard Swanepoel, Chairman of the African Exploration Mining and Finance Corporation, expressed in an interview with The Epoch Times that copper holds a core position in Trump’s strategic objectives, citing the U.S.-supported Lobito Corridor Project, a railway project traversing the African copper belt from the Congo (Kinshasa) through Zambia to Angola’s Lobito port.
The White House aims to reach an agreement swiftly to expand development rights for broader resources in the Congo (Kinshasa), including copper mines, as a result of peace initiatives in the Great Lakes region.
Congo (Kinshasa) ranks as the world’s second-largest copper producer, with an output of 3.3 million tons in 2024, according to the global mining and metallurgical authority Mining Technology, revealing a substantial part controlled by China.
With the majority of U.S. copper imports currently coming from Chile, Peru, and Canada, accounting for 94%, the United States seeks to diversify its copper sources. Following a peace agreement signed between Congo (Kinshasa) and neighboring Rwanda, Trump acknowledged substantial mining rights acquired in Congo (Kinshasa).
The U.S. Economic Affairs Think Tank ING reported that the U.S. imported about 850,000 tons of refined copper worth $17 billion in 2024, approximately half of the domestic consumption.
Experts note China’s significant presence in Congo (Kinshasa) as the country’s largest single copper supplier, now accounting for nearly 40% of China’s copper imports, a significant rise from 10% in 2020.
China eyes combatting U.S. investment influence by focusing on acquiring ownership and control stake in Congo (Kinshasa) copper mines alongside plans to refine copper locally. Dowstone Technology, a Chinese company, announced a $165 million investment to construct a new copper smelter in Congo (Kinshasa).
Chinese enterprises control 70% to 80% of Congo (Kinshasa)’s mineral resources, raising concerns among other nations and industry experts. Beijing’s unease with U.S. investments in Congo (Kinshasa) and Zambia, the world’s largest copper-producing nations, intensifies.
Coetzee further explains that China is also heavily investing in copper mines in South Africa and Namibia, acknowledging these countries as pivotal copper producers besides Congo (Kinshasa) and Zambia.
Cobalt, copper, manganese, and rare earth elements like neodymium, praseodymium, and dysprosium find applications in manufacturing electric motors, wind turbines, electronic products, and serving as catalysts in industrial processes like petroleum refining.
Lane highlights copper’s indispensable role across various industries, especially in automotive manufacturing and electrification. He stresses that global energy transition is impossible without copper, as the metal is a crucial conductor essential for traditional power generation like coal-fired power plants.
The analyst asserts that copper demand will skyrocket in the next 25 years, driven by massive grid expansion plans in the U.S. and China. The recent tariff imposition by Trump has sparked a surge in copper investments, driven by stockpiling ahead of the tariff implementation, fueling a nearly 40% price increase.
Ngundu of the Institute for Security Studies in South Africa highlights the critical nature of copper supply diversification to avert dependency risks and mitigate potential threats if China gains control of global copper resources.
Amidst emerging copper tensions, countries must strategically navigate the evolving landscape to ensure a stable supply chain and safeguard their manufacturing industries against disruptions.