Sustainable Development of the Chinese Copper Market

This report analyzes the structure, production, and sustainability of the Chinese copper supply chain as of 2010. It details China's position as the world's largest producer and consumer of refined copper, examines the environmental and social impacts of the industry, and outlines the regulatory framework governing smeltingS smelting, imports, and exports.

• China established itself as the global leader in both the production and consumption of refined copper by 2008. Refined copper production reached 3.79 million tonnes, representing 20.5% of total world output, while consumption reached 5.2 million tonnes, accounting for 28.8% of the global total.
• China faces significant resource constraints, with domestic copper reserves unable to meet growing economic demand. The self-sufficient rate for refined copper output was 24.69% in 2009, leading to a heavy reliance on imports of copper concentrate and scrap.
• The secondary copper sector is a critical component of China's supply chain, with recycled copper production growing from 880 kilotonnes in 2002 to 1.90 million tonnes in 2008. Secondary copper supply accounted for approximately 30% of total Chinese copper consumption in 2008.
• The Chinese copper industry has a significant economic and social footprint, employing nearly one million people across mining, smelting, processing, and dismantling sectors. The industry's gross industrial output value for mid-to-large smelters grew from 32.2 billion yuan in 2000 to 278 billion yuan in 2008.
• Copper production in China generates substantial environmental risks, including soil heavy metal pollution from tailings and acid rain caused by sulphur dioxide (SO2) emissions from smelting. To mitigate this, China has implemented a SO2 recovery rate of over 96% and a solidification ratio above 98%.
• The Chinese government regulates the industry through strict admittance qualifications for smelting. Requirements include a minimum single smelting capacity of 100 ktpy, a copper concentrate self-sufficiency rate of over 25%, and the prohibition of reverberatory furnaces that burn coal directly.
• China's foreign trade in copper is characterized by a large deficit, totaling US$30.686 billion in 2008. Chile is a primary partner, providing 51% of China's refined copper imports in 2008, while Japan provided 36.93% of imported copper scrap.

APA

Shang, F., Zhao, B., Duan, S., & Zhou, Z. (2011). Sustainable Development of the Chinese Copper Market. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/sustainable_development_chinese_copper.pdf

Chicago

Shang, Fushan, Bo Zhao, Shaofu Duan, and Zunbo Zhou. Sustainable Development of the Chinese Copper Market. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2011. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/sustainable_development_chinese_copper.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Shang |first1=Fushan |last2=Zhao |first2=Bo |last3=Duan |first3=Shaofu |last4=Zhou |first4=Zunbo |title=Sustainable Development of the Chinese Copper Market |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=2011 |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/sustainable_development_chinese_copper.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{shang2011sustainable, author = {Shang, Fushan and Zhao, Bo and Duan, Shaofu and Zhou, Zunbo}, title = {{Sustainable Development of the Chinese Copper Market}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2011}, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/sustainable_development_chinese_copper.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }