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Copper scrap: top exporters and importers (2024)

In 2024, world trade in copper scrap totaled $37.6 billion (5.7 million tonnes). The top exporters were the United States (15%), Germany (7%) and Japan (7%); the top importers were China (40%), Germany (8%) and South Korea (6%). Compared with 2019, the value rose 62%.

Summary

World trade
$37.6billion
Tonnes
5.7million tonnes
Price per tonne
$6,578
The largest flows between countries. Width: value; color: estimated transport mode.SeaAirLand

Top exporters

  1. United States$5.5 billion · 14.6%
  2. Germany$2.6 billion · 7%
  3. Japan$2.5 billion · 6.6%
  4. France$1.8 billion · 4.7%
  5. United Kingdom$1.6 billion · 4.4%
  6. Saudi Arabia$1.4 billion · 3.8%
  7. Netherlands$1.3 billion · 3.5%
    re-exports
  8. Malaysia$1.2 billion · 3.3%
  9. Italy$1.2 billion · 3.3%
  10. Mexico$1.2 billion · 3.1%
  11. Thailand$1.1 billion · 3.1%
  12. Taiwan$910 million · 2.4%
  13. Spain$896 million · 2.4%
  14. Canada$866 million · 2.3%
  15. Russia$728 million · 1.9%
  16. United Arab Emirates$657 million · 1.8%
  17. Poland$588 million · 1.6%
  18. Australia$537 million · 1.4%
  19. Philippines$494 million · 1.3%
  20. Switzerland$492 million · 1.3%

Top importers

  1. China$15.1 billion · 40.1%
  2. Germany$3 billion · 8.1%
  3. South Korea$2.2 billion · 5.8%
  4. India$2 billion · 5.3%
  5. Japan$1.8 billion · 4.9%
  6. Belgium$1.7 billion · 4.6%
    re-exports
  7. Poland$1 billion · 2.7%
  8. Italy$989 million · 2.6%
  9. United States$821 million · 2.2%
  10. Spain$758 million · 2%
  11. Taiwan$743 million · 2%
  12. Austria$684 million · 1.8%
  13. Bulgaria$641 million · 1.7%
  14. Canada$614 million · 1.6%
  15. Malaysia$445 million · 1.2%
  16. Slovakia$430 million · 1.1%
  17. Sweden$426 million · 1.1%
  18. Hong Kong$356 million · 0.95%
    re-exports
  19. Netherlands$342 million · 0.91%
    re-exports
  20. Turkey$330 million · 0.88%

Trend

Who sells it

The United States has been the top exporter since 2010

Value in USD billions. The five largest exporters in 2024.

  • United States 5.5
  • Germany 2.6
  • Japan 2.5
  • France 1.8
  • United Kingdom 1.6

Source: CEPII BACI

Show the numbers
Country19952024
United States0.995.5
Germany0.542.6
Japan0.062.5
France0.291.8
United Kingdom0.271.6

Price

Implied price

The price per tonne rose 346% since 1995

Current US dollars per tonne: value over the weight reported by BACI.

  • 2024: $6,578

Source: CEPII BACI

Show the numbers
YearUSD per tonne
1995$1,475
1996$1,367
1997$1,327
1998$1,048
1999$863
2000$900
2001$804
2002$804
2003$995
2004$1,504
2005$1,664
2006$2,979
2007$3,411
2008$3,534
2009$2,782
2010$4,100
2011$4,779
2012$4,377
2013$4,107
2014$3,812
2015$3,232
2016$3,646
2017$3,489
2018$4,159
2019$4,023
2020$4,087
2021$6,037
2022$6,365
2023$6,132
2024$6,578

What it includes

  • 7404 · Copper scrap

Products in the same chapter

Sources and methodology

Sources and licenses

Methodology

Goods trade from CEPII BACI (BACI_HS92_V202601), which reconciles what exporters and importers report: countries that stopped reporting (Russia since 2022) appear with their partners’ data. FOB values in current US dollars; tonnes when BACI reports them. The price per tonne is the value of the rows with a weight divided by that weight. The transport mode is our own estimate based on value per kilo and geography. Data up to 2024.

Hong Kong, Singapore, the Netherlands and Belgium re-export goods from other countries: their figures include transit.

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