Graphic: visualizing the US copper gap

The US is facing a paradox in its copper supply chain. Despite producing over 1.7 million tonnes of copper annually from mining and scrap, it remains heavily reliant on refined copper imports. This visualization highlights the gap between domestic copper production and the country’s limited processing capacity.

It turns out the issue isn’t a shortage of copper, it’s the lack of infrastructure to turn raw material into usable metal.

The US sends nearly half its copper abroad as concentrate and scrap, only to import refined copper for industrial use. The data reveals a potential for reshoring copper processing and reducing dependency on imports.

This data for this visualization comes from Visual Capitalist and Benchmark Mineral Intelligence. It shows how copper flows through the US economy, from domestic production to international trade and final consumption.