That dollar amount reflects a 35.5% increase from five years earlier in 2021 when exported copper was worth $88.7 billion.
Year over year, globally exported copper accelerated by 17.7% compared to $102.1 billion starting from 2024.
The 5 biggest exporters of copper ore are Chile, Peru, Mongolia, Brazil and Indonesia. Collectively, that concentrated group of suppliers shipped approaching two-thirds (63.2%) of the total value for exported copper ore during 2025.
Copper is a relatively soft, malleable and ductile metal which is the preferred electrical conductor for most forms of electrical wiring with one caveat. Copper is excluded from overhead electric power transmission where aluminum is often chosen.
While roughly half of mined copper is used in electrical wires and cables, copper serves as an essential component in electrical motors, as well as a corrosion-resistant and weatherproof building material notably for roofs, spires, rain gutters and doors.
Applying a continental lens, over half (56.6%) of worldwide copper ore exports came from suppliers in Latin America excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean. Asia was the source for another 16.1% of the global total, ahead of 10.1% worth of copper ore exported from North America.
Smaller percentages of international sales originated from Europe (6.8%), Oceania (5.6%) mostly Australia and Papua New Guinea, then Africa (4.8%).
For research purposes, the 4-digit Harmonized Tariff System code prefix is 2603 for copper ores and concentrates.
Copper Ore Exports by Country
Below are the 25 countries that exported the highest dollar value worth of copper ore during 2025.
- Chile: US$34.8 billion (28.9% of exported copper ore)
- Peru: $25.5 billion (21.2%)
- Mongolia: $5.8 billion (4.8%)
- Brazil: $5 billion (4.2%)
- Indonesia: $4.9 billion (4.1%)
- Australia: $4.8 billion (4%)
- Canada: $4.5 billion (3.7%)
- Mexico: $4.1 billion (3.4%)
- United States: $3.5 billion (2.9%)
- Russia: $3.4 billion (2.8%)
- Kazakhstan: $2.9 billion (2.4%)
- Democratic Republic Congo: $2.8 billion (2.3%)
- Papua New Guinea: $1.9 billion (1.6%)
- Ecuador: $1.7 billion (1.4%)
- Serbia: $1.5 billion (1.3%)
- Spain: $1.4 billion (1.2%)
- Botswana: $990.3 million (0.8%)
- Philippines: $885.4 million (0.7%)
- Taiwan: $859.2 million (0.7%)
- Malaysia: $816.8 million (0.7%)
- Türkiye: $629.2 million (0.5%)
- Armenia: $577.1 million (0.5%)
- Saudi Arabia: $569.1 million (0.5%)
- Eritrea: $559.3 million (0.5%)
- Bulgaria: $548.5 million (0.5%)
By value, the listed 25 countries shipped 95.7% of copper ore exported around the world in 2025.
Among the top exporters, the fastest-growing copper ore exporters since 2024 were: Malaysia (up 911.8%), Russia (up 130.3%), Eritrea (up 122.8%) and Mongolia (up 75%).
Those countries that posted declines in their exported copper ore sales were led by: Indonesia (down -38.6%), Philippines (down -32.2%), Saudi Arabia (down -18%), Kazakhstan (down -9.7%) and Serbia (down -8.4%).
Countries Exporting Highest Volumes of Copper by Shipment Weight
The listing below reveals which countries shipped the greatest tonnage of copper ore during 2025.
By shipment value, the listed top exporters accounted for 88.1% of all copper ore sold on international markets.
- Chile: 14,698,609 tons of exported copper (up 1.4% from 2024)
- Peru: 10,034,360 tons (up 4.6%)
- Mongolia: 2,281,931 tons (up 34.6%)
- Mexico: 1,602,679 tons (down -7%)
- Indonesia: 1,459,980 tons (down -40.9%)
- Brazil: 1,451,750 tons (up 2.1%)
- Kazakhstan: 1,424,513 tons (down -23.1%)
- Australia: 1,320,636 tons (up 0.6%)
- Russia: 976,315 tons (up 100%)
- Democratic Republic Congo: 975,809 tons (up 5.3%)
- Serbia: 759,164 tons (down -23.8%)
- Spain: 704,074 tons (up 11.7%)
- Ecuador: 670,741 tons (up 28.1%)
- Malaysia: 544,235 tons (up 711.3%)
- Papua New Guinea: 474,584 tons (down -43.6%)
The strongest increases in copper ore exports by shipment weight were recorded by shippers in Malaysia (up 711.3% since 2024), Russia (up 100%), Mongolia (up 34.6%), Ecuador (up 28.1%) and Spain (up 11.7%).
Posting double-digit year-over-year percent declines were copper suppliers in Papua New Guinea (down -43.6% from 2024), Indonesia (down -40.9%), Serbia (down -23.8%) then Kazakhstan (down -23.1%).
Average Unit Prices for Exported Copper Ore
The worldwide average price for exported copper ore was US$2,690 per ton during 2025.
That global average reflects 441.2% in inflation compared to $497 per ton for 2021. In addition, that annual percentage change for copper ore exports results from a 16.3% acceleration from the average $2,312 for 2024.
The list below is sorted in ascending order for the top 15 exporters of copper ore by total exported dollar value.
- Chile: US$2,367 per ton of exported copper (up 14% from 2024
- Peru: $2,542 per ton (up 18%)
- Mongolia: $2,546 per ton (up 30%)
- Brazil: $3,453 per ton (up 18.1%)
- Indonesia: $3,351 per ton (up 3.9%)
- Australia: $3,599 per ton (up 15.3%)
- Canada: $11,755 per ton (up 8.8%)
- Mexico: $2,572 per ton (up 19.1%)
- United States: $8,901 per ton (up 3%)
- Russia: $3,484 per ton (up 15.1%)
- Kazakhstan: $2,003 per ton (up 17.4%)
- Democratic Republic Congo: $2,879 per ton (down -1.5%)
- Papua New Guinea: $4,054 per ton (up 166%)
- Ecuador: $2,572 per ton (up 15.8%)
- Serbia: $2,006 per ton (up 20.3%)
Among the top copper ore suppliers by total dollar value, the lowest average prices are charged by sellers in Kazakhstan, Serbia, Chile, Peru and Mongolia.
The most expensive copper ore exports in 2025 were shipped by Canada, United States of America, Papua New Guinea, Australia and the Russian Federation.
Countries Generating Highest Surpluses Trading Copper
The following countries posted the highest positive net exports for copper ore during 2025. Investopedia defines net exports as the value of a country’s total exports minus the value of its total imports. Thus, the statistics below present the surplus between the value of each country’s copper ore exports and its import purchases for that same commodity.
- Chile: US$34.7 billion (net export surplus up 15.8% since 2024.
- Peru: $25.4 billion (up 23.3%)
- Mongolia: $5.8 billion (up 75%)
- Brazil: $5 billion (up 20.5%)
- Indonesia: $4.9 billion (down -38.6%)
- Australia: $4.7 billion (up 15.6%)
- Canada: $3.7 billion (up 22.1%)
- United States: $3.5 billion (up 25.8%)
- Russia: $3.4 billion (up 172.3%)
- Mexico: $3.1 billion (up 18.2%)
- Kazakhstan: $2.81 billion (down -9.2%)
- Democratic Republic Congo: $2.81 billion (up 3.7%)
- Papua New Guinea: $1.9 billion (up 49.9%)
- Ecuador: $1.7 billion (up 48.3%)
- Serbia: $1.3 billion (down -0.4%)
World-leading copper exporter Chile generated the highest surplus in the international trade of copper ore. In turn, this positive cashflow confirms strong competitive advantage under this specific product category for South America’s seventh-largest country by population.
Countries Incurring Worst Deficits Trading Copper
The following countries posted the highest negative net exports for copper ore during 2025. Investopedia defines net exports as the value of a country’s total exports minus the value of its total imports. Thus, the statistics below present the deficit between the value of each country’s copper ore import purchases and its exports for that same commodity.
- mainland China: -US$81.9 billion (net export deficit up 21.4% since 2024.
- Japan: -$13 billion (down -4.8%)
- South Korea: -$5.7 billion (up 28.1%)
- India: -$5.2 billion (up 40.1%)
- Germany: -$3.3 billion (up 40.9%)
- Bulgaria: -$1.5 billion (down -24.1%)
- Spain: -$1.3 billion (down -15.3%)
- Finland: -$1.2 billion (up 24.1%)
- Sweden: -$1 billion (up 125.1%)
- Poland: -$561.2 million (down -9.2%)
- Malaysia: -$544.7 million (up 141.3%)
- Cambodia: -$61.4 million (up 319.5%)
- Namibia: -$33.1 million (down -91.7%)
- Uzbekistan: -$22.3 million (down -90.6%)
- Thailand: -$1 million (up 313.6%)
The People’s Republic of China incurred the highest deficit in the international trade of copper ore. In turn, this negative cashflow highlights China’s strong competitive disadvantage for this specific product category but also signals opportunities for copper ore-supplying countries that help satisfy the powerful demand from the rapidly expanding Chinese economy.
Copper Ore Exporting Companies
Below is a sampling including the world’s largest copper ore producers. Show within parenthesis is the country where the business is headquartered.
- Donner Metals (Canada)
- First Quantum Minerals (Canada)
- Freeport-McMoRan (United States)
- Grupo México (Mexico)
- Hindustan Copper (India)
- Hudbay Minerals (Canada)
- KAZ Minerals (Kazakhstan)
- KGHM (Poland)
- Konkola Copper Mines (Zambia)
- Lundin Mining (Canada)
- Minera Escondida (Chile)
- MMG Limited (Australia)
- OZ Minerals (Australia)
- Palabora Mining Company (South Africa)
- Teck Resources (Canada)
The Chilean firm Minera Escondida operates the world’s highest-producing copper ore mine.
See also Chile’s Top 10 Exports, Iron Ore Exports by Country, Top Tin Exporters, Iron Ore Imports by Country and China’s Top 10 Imports
Research Sources:
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Field Listing: Exports – Commodities. Accessed on June 16, 2026
Forbes Global 2000 rankings, The World’s Biggest Public Companies. Accessed on June 16, 2026
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on June 16, 2026
Investopedia, Net Exports Definition. Accessed on June 16, 2026
Wikipedia, Copper. Accessed on June 16, 2026
Wikipedia, Copper mining companies. Accessed on June 16, 2026