DR Congo Exported 3 Million Tonnes of Copper in 2024 to Maintain World’s 2nd Position
Since 2023, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has become the world’s 2nd largest exporter of #copper, ahead of Peru but behind Chile. As figures are being tallied, it is projected that copper exports will exceed 3 million tonnes in 2024, thus consolidating DRC’s 2nd position globally.
| Rank | Country | Cu Export MT |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chile | 5.0 |
| 2 | DR Congo | 3.0 |
| 3 | Peru | 2.5 |
Based on data compiled so far by the DRC Ministry of Mines, the country exported 2.35 million tonnes of copper for the first three quarters of 2024, representing a 17% rise compared to the corresponding period in 2023. Thus, DRC copper exports average about 250,000 tonnes per month and the total export for 2024 is thus forecasted to reach 3 million tonnes.
| Year | Cu Export MT |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 3.0 |
| 2023 | 2.8 |
| 2022 | 2.0 |
The DRC economy relies heavily on copper which accounts for two-thirds of total exports. To export the copper, several routes are possible: westwards to the Atlantic Ocean via the #LobitoCorridor or eastwards to the Indian Ocean via #TAZARA. Traditionally, the copper was also shipped out of South Africa via the North-South Corridor, after transiting through Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Annually, copper mining brings nearly USD 5 billion in revenues to the state coffers. The key players in the copper mining sector in DRC include Glencore, Ivanhoe Mines, China Molybdenum, Zijin Mining, Jinchuan, and Gecamines.
It is worth recalling that copper is considered as one of the #CriticalMinerals thanks to its excellent electrical and thermal conductivity. Due to these desirable properties, copper is the material of choice in the production of motors/generators, transformers, air conditioners, radiators and printed circuit boards for electronics.