China and Global Markets: Copper Supply Chain Sustainable Development

The report assesses the environmental footprint of Chinese copper cathode production, which relies heavily on imports. Using a 'cradle-to-gate' LCA, it finds that mining and mineral extraction are the primary drivers of environmental impact, accounting for over 70% of the total for primary production. While Chinese primary production has lower impacts than the global average and regions like Latin America and Indonesia, it remains higher than European production due to lower ore grades and a fossil-fuel-heavy electricity mix. The study recommends improving mining technologies, enhancing the collection and recycling of secondary copper, and phasing out obsolete smelting technologies.

• The environmental impacts of the Chinese production mix for copper cathodes are lower than the world average and lower than production in Indonesia, Latin America and other Asian and Pacific regions, but higher than European production.
• Mining and mineral extraction are the dominant sources of environmental impact in primary copper production, contributing more than 70% of the total impacts, while smelting and reduction contribute less than 25%.
• The higher environmental impact of Chinese production compared to Europe is attributed to three main factors: the use of lower-grade copper ore, an electricity mix almost entirely dependent on fossil fuels, and a lower share of secondary copper in the production mix.
• Secondary copper production is significantly more environmentally friendly than primary production because it avoids the burdens associated with mineral extraction.
• Within the mining and beneficiation stage, the beneficiation process is the largest contributor to environmental impacts, accounting for more than 75% of the burden.
• China has successfully phased out older smelting technologies, such as reverberatory furnaces, and now widely utilizes state-of-the-art technologies like flash smelters and submerged-lance smelters.
• The study identifies that the distance of imports does not significantly impact the overall environmental footprint, but the standards of mining and beneficiation in exporting regions—particularly the Asia and Pacific regions—are critical.

APA

Streicher-Porte, M., & Althaus, H. J. (2010). China and Global Markets: Copper Supply Chain Sustainable Development. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/china_copper_supply.pdf

Chicago

Streicher-Porte, Martin, and Hans Jörg Althaus. China and Global Markets: Copper Supply Chain Sustainable Development. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2010. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/china_copper_supply.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Streicher-Porte |first1=Martin |last2=Althaus |first2=Hans Jörg |title=China and Global Markets: Copper Supply Chain Sustainable Development |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=February 2010 |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/china_copper_supply.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{streicherporte2010china, author = {Streicher-Porte, Martin and Althaus, Hans Jörg}, title = {{China and Global Markets: Copper Supply Chain Sustainable Development}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2010}, month = feb, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/china_copper_supply.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }