RANKED: World’s top 10 copper mining projects – 2021

For decades, the global demand for copper has been rising steadily, having tripled over the past half-century, according to the International Copper Study Group. Demand for copper – a metal key to the green energy transition – is expected to keep rising over the coming years as emerging economies led by China continue to ramp up industrial activity.

According to the (United States Geological Survey) USGS, roughly 700 million tonnes of copper have been produced around the world so far, while identified deposits contain an estimated 2.1 billion tonnes of additional copper that have yet to be mined.