Where is copper used?

Copper is a material that flows into products (e.g. wires, busbars, tubes, ...) that are used in components (e.g. motors, transformers, cables, ...) to build systems that produce benefits for end-users. When copper leaves the copper industry, it starts a long and complex journey.

The end-use dataset provides good indications where and how copper is used.

By product

Overall, 60% of copper use in in wire & cable products. Roughly a quarter of extruded and rolled products are for electrical conductivity applications, bringing the total for conductivity to 70%. Non-alloyed copper products represent 80% of use with the remaining 20% is spread over 400+ alloys.

By market

The building construction market represents almost 30% of end-use. This segment covers fixed technical installations in buildings (data, electrical, heating, water). Among these, electrical installations are the most important application.

Power, telecom and transport networks represent close to 20%. Power infrastructure dominates.
Around 45% of copper is used in manufactured goods - consumer, HVAC, industrial, office and transport equipment.

Finally, 10% covers 'the batallion of everything else', copper in coins, ammunition, clothing, toys, etc.

By region

China represents close to half of refined copper usage and total Asia even 70%. Looking at trade figures, millions of tonnes of refined copper use in China are embedded in exports for appliances, cars, machinery etc.

Reference

[1] These graphs are based on row and column totals of the 2021 copper semis end-use dataset (data for the year 2020) available at https://help.copper.fyi/hc/en-us/articles/4408226152082 

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Last update: November 22, 2022