Tariffs on Copper Imports Will Affect 45 Percent of U.S. Copper Needs

Analysis by Ryan C. Berg, Christopher Hernandez-Roy, and Henry Ziemer

Published July 29, 2025

U.S. copper tariffs will negatively impact minerals security, as the majority of U.S. copper imports come from partners within the Western Hemisphere that have free trade agreements with the United States.

On July 9, U.S. President Donald Trump announced a 50 percent tariff on copper imports, to come into effect on August 1. Chile, Canada, Mexico, and Peru, all of which have free trade agreements with the United States, account for nearly all U.S. copper imports.
According to 2024 USGS estimates, the United States relies on imports for roughly 45 percent of its annual copper consumption. While the United States itself is home to vast copper reserves, new mines and refineries are both time and capital intensive, meaning investments made today will likely take years to come to fruition.
Demand for copper is set to increase dramatically, as it is key for national security and defense applications, reindustrialization efforts, clean energy, and the future of the economy. By 2030, the United States could require 1 million metric tons of copper for data center buildout. Imposing tariffs risks alienating Western Hemisphere allies and driving more of the supply chain into China’s hands, weakening, rather than strengthening, U.S. minerals security.

CSIS Charts is produced by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), a private, tax-exempt institution focusing on international public policy issues. Its research is nonpartisan and nonproprietary. CSIS does not take specific policy positions. Accordingly, all views, positions, and conclusions expressed in this publication should be understood to be solely those of the author(s).