The United States has announced a significant shift in it’s trade policy regarding copper, implementing a 50% import tariff on semi-finished copper products and copper-intensive goods. This move, detailed in a White House proclamation, aims to bolster domestic industries and secure the nation’s copper supply chain.
The tariffs will specifically target items such as copper pipes, wires, rods, sheets, and tubes, as well as copper-based components like pipe fittings, cables, connectors, and electrical parts. Crucially, less processed forms of copper, including ore, concentrates, mattes, cathodes, and anodes, will not be subject to these new charges.
This action comes as part of a broader strategy under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act. The White House clarified that these copper levies will not be cumulative with existing tariffs on automobile imports. If a product is already subject to auto tariffs, the vehicle import tax will take precedence over the copper duty.
In addition to the import tariffs, the administration has also mandated that 25% of high-quality copper scrap and raw copper forms produced in the U.S. must be sold domestically.Though, analysts suggest this export requirement may have a limited immediate impact, given that a substantial portion of U.S. copper scrap and concentrates are already processed within the country.
The International Copper Association’s president expressed support for the decision, stating it “protects US interests while maintaining strong ties with reliable partners, ensuring a secure and resilient copper supply chain.”
While the immediate focus is on semi-finished and manufactured copper goods, the prospect of tariffs on refined copper has not entirely vanished. A separate White House proclamation indicated that the Department of Commerce had recommended a delayed imposition of tariffs on refined copper, with rates set to begin at 15% in 2027 and increase to 30% in 2028. President Trump has directed the secretary of Commerce to provide an update on U.S. copper markets by the end of June 2026 to determine the necessity of such a “phased global import duty on refined copper.”
The announcement had an immediate impact on the market, with shares of U.S.producers like Freeport-McMoRan Inc.experiencing a decline as the “American copper premium” was eroded. Conversely, major suppliers of refined copper to the U.S.,such as Chile’s state-owned Codelco,welcomed the decision.Codelco Chairman Maximo Pacheco stated, “this is good news for Chile, for Codelco, and for our customers in the USA.”
The article also notes that the proclamation includes a future review of refined metal tariffs.