Chain · Copper and electrification
No exporter holds 30% of any stage of the copper chain (2024)
In 2024 Chile (29%) and Peru (21%) led copper concentrate, DR Congo (23%) and Chile (21%) refined cathode, and trade in power transformers grew from $10.0bn in 2019 to $21.5bn.
- 7stages from ore to product
- $167.3bnlargest stage, 2024: Insulated wire and cable
- Noneno chokepoint in 2024
- China · GL 0.92most two-way stage, 2024: Wire, strip and foil
The chain in 2024
Who trades each stage, 2024
Loading the network…
Copper concentrate, 2024
World trade, 2024: $106.3bn
The ring shows the stage of this chain the economy leads; a dashed rowan ring marks an economy with more than half of the stage’s exports. Click an economy to follow its flows (exports gold, imports teal).
Open in the explorerWhy do some economies both import and export the same stage?
- Different goods under one code. A six-digit code can hold cheap and costly versions of a product: 2506.10 covers quartzite lumps and high-purity quartz worth many times more per kilogram.
- Processing and hub trade. Goods come in, are refined or assembled, and go out again.
- Firms and regions. Firms or regions within one economy buy and sell for their own reasons, such as a firm shipping inputs to its own plants abroad.
- How trade is recorded. Under the mirror rule an economy’s imports may come from its own reports and its exports from its partners’; origin and consignment, re-exports and misclassification can make one side larger.
“↔ two-way” marks an economy whose Grubel–Lloyd index is at least 0.3 and whose exports and imports are each at least 2% of world trade in the stage. The sentences under a stage give the numbers, never the reason. How two-way trade is measured
S1 · Concentrate
S1 · Copper concentrate
- World trade, 2024$106.3bn
- Unit value, 2024$2.5/kg
- Exporter concentration, 20240.15
- 105 exportersCHL 29%
Top exporters, 2024
| # | Economy | Share of world exports, % | 2019, % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CHL Chile | 29.2 | 33.0 |
| 2 | PER Peru | 20.8 | 20.8 |
| 3 | IDN Indonesia | 7.8 | – |
| 4 | AUS Australia | 5.3 | 7.4 |
| 5 | BRA Brazil | 4.0 | 4.0 |
Top importers, 2024
| # | Economy | Share of world imports, % | 2019, % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CHN China | 62.9 | 56.6 |
| 2 | JPN Japan | 12.8 | 13.7 |
| 3 | KOR Korea | 4.8 | 5.8 |
| 4 | IND India | 3.5 | – |
| 5 | ESP Spain | 2.4 | 3.9 |
Copper concentrate, 2024: shares of world exports and imports. Source: UN Comtrade, Final data, HS6; mirror rule.
What trade cannot see here
Concentrate is roughly a quarter copper by weight.
Source: UN Comtrade, Final data, HS6; mirror rule.
Source: UN Comtrade, monthly data, HS6; 12-month sum; one side per flow (the importer's report where it filed as many months). Korea, Jan–Jul 2026: Korea Customs Service, trade by item and country (data.go.kr), fetched 31 Oct 2026.
S2 · Blister
S2 · Mattes, blister and anodes
- World trade, 2024$19.2bn
- Unit value, 2024$8.8/kg
- Exporter concentration, 20240.13
- 110 exportersZMB 29%
Top exporters, 2024
| # | Economy | Share of world exports, % | 2019, % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ZMB Zambia | 29.0 | 37.1 |
| 2 | CHL Chile | 12.2 | 15.6 |
| 3 | SWE Sweden | 11.3 | – |
| 4 | BGR Bulgaria | 8.5 | 8.9 |
| 5 | COD DR Congo | 6.4 | – |
Top importers, 2024
| # | Economy | Share of world imports, % | 2019, % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CHN China | 44.9 | 46.9 |
| 2 | BEL Belgium | 11.5 | 13.7 |
| 3 | IND India | 11.3 | 7.8 |
| 4 | DEU Germany Germany
| 7.8 | 5.9 |
| 5 | CAN Canada | 7.1 | – |
Germany imports $1.5bn and exports $677m of this stage. Imports average $11.6/kg, exports $11.3/kg. Main suppliers: Bulgaria, Sweden, Belgium. Main buyers: Belgium, Hungary, Bulgaria.
Mattes, blister and anodes, 2024: shares of world exports and imports. Source: UN Comtrade, Final data, HS6; mirror rule.
Source: UN Comtrade, Final data, HS6; mirror rule.
Source: UN Comtrade, monthly data, HS6; 12-month sum; one side per flow (the importer's report where it filed as many months). Korea, Jan–Jul 2026: Korea Customs Service, trade by item and country (data.go.kr), fetched 31 Oct 2026.
S2 · Blister
S2 · Copper scrap
- World trade, 2024$40.4bn
- Unit value, 2024$7.1/kg
- Exporter concentration, 20240.05
- 199 exportersUSA 15%
Top exporters, 2024
| # | Economy | Share of world exports, % | 2019, % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | USA United States | 14.7 | 12.3 |
| 2 | DEU Germany Germany
| 6.5 | 6.6 |
| 3 | JPN Japan Japan
| 6.0 | – |
| 4 | THA Thailand | 4.6 | – |
| 5 | FRA France | 4.4 | – |
Top importers, 2024
| # | Economy | Share of world imports, % | 2019, % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CHN China | 44.1 | 30.9 |
| 2 | DEU Germany Germany
| 7.6 | 11.6 |
| 3 | KOR Korea | 6.0 | 7.9 |
| 4 | IND India | 5.0 | – |
| 5 | BEL Belgium | 4.8 | 5.0 |
Germany imports $3.1bn and exports $2.6bn of this stage. Imports average $6.6/kg, exports $6.5/kg. Main suppliers: Netherlands, France, Austria. Main buyers: Poland, China, Belgium.
Copper scrap, 2024: shares of world exports and imports. Source: UN Comtrade, Final data, HS6; mirror rule.
Source: UN Comtrade, Final data, HS6; mirror rule.
Source: UN Comtrade, monthly data, HS6; 12-month sum; one side per flow (the importer's report where it filed as many months). Korea, Jan–Jul 2026: Korea Customs Service, trade by item and country (data.go.kr), fetched 31 Oct 2026.
S3 · Refined cathode
S3 · Refined copper cathode
- World trade, 2024$89.8bn
- Unit value, 2024$9.3/kg
- Exporter concentration, 20240.12
- 81 exportersCOD 23%
Top exporters, 2024
| # | Economy | Share of world exports, % | 2019, % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | COD DR Congo | 23.3 | 7.3 |
| 2 | CHL Chile | 21.1 | 24.9 |
| 3 | JPN Japan | 7.5 | 5.6 |
| 4 | KAZ Kazakhstan | 4.6 | 5.3 |
| 5 | AUS Australia | 4.2 | – |
Top importers, 2024
| # | Economy | Share of world imports, % | 2019, % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CHN China | 38.5 | 38.1 |
| 2 | USA United States | 9.5 | 7.3 |
| 3 | ITA Italy | 5.5 | 5.7 |
| 4 | TWN Taiwan | 5.4 | 5.0 |
| 5 | DEU Germany | 4.1 | 6.3 |
Refined copper cathode, 2024: shares of world exports and imports. Source: UN Comtrade, Final data, HS6; mirror rule.
Source: UN Comtrade, Final data, HS6; mirror rule.
Source: UN Comtrade, monthly data, HS6; 12-month sum; one side per flow (the importer's report where it filed as many months). Korea, Jan–Jul 2026: Korea Customs Service, trade by item and country (data.go.kr), fetched 31 Oct 2026.
S4 · Wire
S4 · Wire, strip and foil
- World trade, 2024$49.4bn
- Unit value, 2024$8.6/kg
- Exporter concentration, 20240.05
- 170 exportersDEU 12%
Top exporters, 2024
| # | Economy | Share of world exports, % | 2019, % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | DEU Germany Germany
| 12.1 | 14.0 |
| 2 | CHN China China
| 8.0 | – |
| 3 | JPN Japan | 6.9 | 9.6 |
| 4 | ARE UAE | 6.5 | 5.7 |
| 5 | TWN Taiwan Taiwan
| 5.3 | 8.8 |
Top importers, 2024
| # | Economy | Share of world imports, % | 2019, % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CHN China China
| 9.4 | 14.3 |
| 2 | USA United States United States
| 8.2 | 7.1 |
| 3 | ITA Italy Italy
| 4.8 | 4.0 |
| 4 | SAU Saudi Arabia | 4.2 | – |
| 5 | IND India | 3.7 | 5.5 |
China imports $4.6bn and exports $4.0bn of this stage. Imports average $15.2/kg, exports $8.2/kg. Main suppliers: Taiwan, Japan, Korea. Main buyers: Korea, Vietnam, Thailand.
Wire, strip and foil, 2024: shares of world exports and imports. Source: UN Comtrade, Final data, HS6; mirror rule.
What trade cannot see here
Copper foil (7410) also feeds circuit boards and battery anodes.
Use share: how much of this stage goes to this chain
The share of wire, strip and foil that goes to cable and transformers: no free source; foil (7410), which goes to circuit boards and battery anodes instead, is 5% of copper's first use against 63% for wire. The map shows the whole flow; the trail draws it in grey only. Source: ICSG, The World Copper Factbook 2026 (IWCC data), p. 46, data for 2025.
Source: UN Comtrade, Final data, HS6; mirror rule.
Source: UN Comtrade, monthly data, HS6; 12-month sum; one side per flow (the importer's report where it filed as many months). Korea, Jan–Jul 2026: Korea Customs Service, trade by item and country (data.go.kr), fetched 31 Oct 2026.
S5 · Cable and transformers
S5 · Insulated wire and cable
- World trade, 2024$167.3bn
- Unit value, 2024$12.4/kg
- Exporter concentration, 20240.07
- 230 exportersCHN 20%
Top exporters, 2024
| # | Economy | Share of world exports, % | 2019, % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CHN China | 20.3 | 20.5 |
| 2 | MEX Mexico Mexico
| 11.3 | 10.9 |
| 3 | USA United States United States
| 6.0 | 6.8 |
| 4 | DEU Germany Germany
| 5.2 | 6.0 |
| 5 | VNM Vietnam | 5.0 | 4.1 |
Top importers, 2024
| # | Economy | Share of world imports, % | 2019, % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | USA United States United States
| 19.1 | 17.2 |
| 2 | DEU Germany Germany
| 8.6 | 8.6 |
| 3 | JPN Japan | 5.1 | 6.1 |
| 4 | MEX Mexico Mexico
| 4.6 | 4.2 |
| 5 | GBR UK | 3.2 | – |
United States imports $32.0bn and exports $10.1bn of this stage. Imports average $20.7/kg, exports $9.4/kg. Main suppliers: Mexico, China, Vietnam. Main buyers: Mexico, Canada, China.
Insulated wire and cable, 2024: shares of world exports and imports. Source: UN Comtrade, Final data, HS6; mirror rule.
What trade cannot see here
Includes car wiring harnesses (8544.42) and optical fibre cables (8544.70).
Source: UN Comtrade, Final data, HS6; mirror rule.
Source: UN Comtrade, monthly data, HS6; 12-month sum; one side per flow (the importer's report where it filed as many months). Korea, Jan–Jul 2026: Korea Customs Service, trade by item and country (data.go.kr), fetched 31 Oct 2026.
S5 · Cable and transformers
S5 · Power transformers
- World trade, 2024$21.5bn
- Unit value, 2024$9.4/kg
- Exporter concentration, 20240.08
- 167 exportersCHN 21%
Top exporters, 2024
| # | Economy | Share of world exports, % | 2019, % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CHN China | 20.5 | 19.1 |
| 2 | MEX Mexico | 12.0 | 10.2 |
| 3 | KOR Korea | 9.9 | 5.6 |
| 4 | TUR Türkiye | 7.0 | – |
| 5 | ITA Italy | 4.4 | 5.9 |
Top importers, 2024
| # | Economy | Share of world imports, % | 2019, % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | USA United States | 34.0 | 20.7 |
| 2 | DEU Germany Germany
| 4.7 | 3.8 |
| 3 | SAU Saudi Arabia | 4.4 | – |
| 4 | GBR UK | 4.2 | 2.9 |
| 5 | ESP Spain Spain
| 3.1 | – |
Germany imports $1.0bn and exports $853m of this stage. Imports average $10.3/kg, exports $8.1/kg. Main suppliers: Austria, Poland, Croatia. Main buyers: United States, UK, Netherlands.
Power transformers, 2024: shares of world exports and imports. Source: UN Comtrade, Final data, HS6; mirror rule.
Source: UN Comtrade, Final data, HS6; mirror rule.
Source: UN Comtrade, monthly data, HS6; 12-month sum; one side per flow (the importer's report where it filed as many months). Korea, Jan–Jul 2026: Korea Customs Service, trade by item and country (data.go.kr), fetched 31 Oct 2026.
How these numbers are made
Each chain has its own ladder of stages, one rung per step of production that customs records can see: four for clothing, eight for chips. Each stage is a set of six-digit HS codes, written down once with the rung it sits on and what else its code holds. World trade is the sum of bilateral flows under the mirror rule: the importer’s report where the importer reported that year, otherwise the exporter’s. Unit value is value over net weight, shown only where weight covers at least 80% of value. HHI is the sum of squared exporter shares; 0.15 and 0.25 mark moderate and high concentration.
Customs records see goods crossing a border, not what they were for. Production used at home, codes that hold two products and codes split by HS versions are named at the stage where they matter. Use shares, where a stage mostly goes elsewhere, come from dated sources outside trade; they scale the trail, never the map. The full method
Source: UN Comtrade, Final data, HS6; mirror rule. Updated 2 Nov 2026.