Patricia Barreto, a senior base metals analyst at S&P Global Commodity Insights, said that a 50% tariff on copper imports by the US would "severely disrupt existing trade flows" as exporters would divert shipments away from the US.

Chile, by far the biggest shipper of copper into the US, is waiting for details to emerge following President’s Donald Trump’s bombshell comments on tariffs.

The US announced a 50 percent tariff on copper imports on Wednesday, which will go into effect on August 1. Many analysis reports pointed out that the US still relies on copper imports and it takes a long time to build up copper production capacity at home.

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday announced a 50% tariff on copper imports and stated he was considering a 200% tariff on pharmaceutical products if manufacturers do not move their operations to the United States.

Potrerillos is one of Codelco’s three remaining smelters after the world’s biggest copper supplier shut its Ventanas plant in 2023 over environmental concerns. Potrerillos has running costs that are double the global average, according to industry estimates, and may struggle with stricter emission rules.

Hindustan Copper Ltd (HCL) is focusing on copper exploration and production through global collaborations as it seeks to ramp up its mining capacity from 3.47 million tonnes to 12 million tonnes per annum by FY 2030-31,

Hindustan Copper Ltd (HCL) is focusing on copper exploration and production through global collaborations as it seeks to ramp up its mining capacity from 3.47 million tonnes to 12 million tonnes per annum by FY 2030-31,