15 Biggest Copper Companies in the World

In This Article:

In this article, we discuss the 15 biggest copper companies in the world. To skip the industry analysis, you can go directly to the 5 Biggest Copper Companies in the World.

Copper is the third most used metal in the world with Chile as its biggest producer and China as its biggest importer. Copper price saw its peak in April at about $10,000 per tonne and has since lost a third of its price. The main culprits in declining copper prices are the fear of global recession along with China’s zero COVID policy, leading to weaker demand from the country. Additionally, the macroeconomic pressures forced a mass sell-off on London Metal Exchange.

Copper Demand and Supply

The annual copper demand is expected to increase by 53% by 2040, mainly due to the electrification of vehicles. Global EV sales are expected to account for 40% of the total car sales by 2030. However, the world is looking at copper shortages in the near future.

The copper inventories are near historical lows. On top of that, copper giants are expected to face production shortages in the future. Newmont Corporation (NYSE:NEM) recently halted its $2 billion copper and gold project in Peru. Furthermore, Freeport-McMoRan Inc. (NYSE:FCX) management says that the latest copper prices are not enough to put forward new investments. 

According to S&P Global’s worst-case projection, the copper shortfall could reach around 20% of consumption by 2035. In 2021, the copper deficit was only 2% of the consumption, and it lead copper prices to increase by 25%. According to Goldman Sachs, the copper prices on the benchmark London Metal Exchange are expected to reach $15,000 by 2025.

Among the top copper-producing companies are BHP Group Limited (NYSE:BHP), Rio Tinto Group (NYSE:RIO), and Vale S.A. (NYSE:VALE).

Copyright: tomas1111 / 123RF Stock Photo

Our Methodology

We took a look at the copper industry and the biggest companies involved in producing the red metal. We compiled a list of the biggest copper-producing companies based on their market capitalization and annual copper production. Furthermore, there is only one privately owned company that made it to our list on account of being the largest copper-producing company in the world.

Biggest Copper Companies in the World

15. KGHM Polska Miedz S.A. (OTC:KGHPF)

Market Cap as of November 25: $5.1 billion

KGHM Polska Miedz S.A. (OTC:KGHPF) is a Polish mining company that produces copper, precious metals, and non-ferrous metals. In the first three quarters of 2022, the company produced 557 thousand tonnes of payable copper, compared to 574 thousand tonnes in the same period of 2021.