[SMM Copper Scrap Express] In June, copper scrap imports from Thailand were 37,300 mt in physical content, accounting for 17.69% of total copper scrap imports for the month, surging 42.29% YoY and rising 41.41% MoM. Supply from Thailand recovered markedly in June, maintaining strong YoY growth, consistently providing a stable source for China's copper scrap market and serving as the core support for the import growth for the month.

According to the latest data from the General Administration of Customs, in June 2026, China imported 210,900 mt in physical content of copper scrap and shredded copper scrap, up 10.43% MoM and up 15.11% YoY. In January-June 2026, cumulative imports reached 1.2415 million mt in physical content, up 8.39% YoY.

[SMM Analysis: H1 2026 Overseas Copper Scrap Market Review: Firm Payability and Persistent Supply Tightness] The tightening supply of copper pushed companies to look beyond mine supply for supplementary sources, with the importance of copper scrap rising significantly. More importantly, the structural tightness in copper has begun to reshape the pricing logic of the copper scrap market.

[SMM Analysis: Ex-China Copper Scrap Market Review in H1 2026: Copper Prices Surge, Tight Raw Material Supply Supports Firm Discounts] In Q1 2026, copper prices overall stayed high, mostly consolidating around $13,000/mt. Only around the end of Q1 did copper prices experience a temporary pullback, but they resumed their upward trend upon entering Q2 and repeatedly hit new all-time highs. Behind this, copper prices were supported on the one hand by tight copper ore supply; on the other, the siphoning effect on global copper resources triggered by US tariff expectations further amplified market concerns over the supply side. Meanwhile, the rapid growth of new copper-consuming sectors—such as NEVs, new energy power, power grid construction, and data centers—continued to fuel market expectations for copper demand. Against the backdrop of supply growth failing to match demand growth, copper prices found strong support. The tightness in copper units supply also prompted enterprises to shift their focus from the ore side to supplementary sources beyond ore, with copper scrap seeing a notable increase in importance. As copper prices continued to surge, copper scrap prices rose in tandem, and the structural changes driven by copper resource scarcity also started to shift the pricing logic of the copper scrap market, which was previously dominated by consumption and price spreads.

In May 2026, China imported 191,000 mt in physical content of copper scrap and shredded copper scrap, down 9.78% MoM but up 3.14% YoY.

The global copper scrap market is entering a period of structural tightening as geopolitical tensions and industrial policy increasingly reshape trade flows. The relationship between the United States and China sits at the center of this transition, particularly as Washington considers restricting exports of high-quality copper scrap in 2027 while China remains heavily dependent on imported secondary copper feedstock. China’s copper scrap imports remained strong in 2024 at 441,080 MT, underscoring continued demand from secondary refiners serving the EV, renewable energy, power grid, and manufacturing sectors. However, imports have collapsed in 2025 to 143,271 MT, with current projections for 2026 falling further to just 5,305 MT. The sharp decline signals a rapid deterioration in China’s direct access to imported scrap feedstock amid rising geopolitical friction and tariffs. China’s existing 10% tariff on US-origin scrap has already reduced the competitiveness of direct shipments, although clean high-grade material has continued to move because of favorable processing economics. Trade flows indicate that copper scrap is increasingly being rerouted through Southeast Asia rather than moving directly from the United States into China. US copper scrap exports to ASEAN rose from 170,687 tonnes in 2024 to 222,993 tonnes in 2025, while Chinese imports of copper scrap from ASEAN increased from 434,176 tonnes to 529,345 tonnes over the same period. The correlation strongly suggests ASEAN is emerging as a critical intermediary hub for scrap aggregation, processing, blending, and re-export into China. This shift reflects a broader restructuring of the global scrap trade as market participants adapt to tariffs, geopolitical risk, and the growing probability of tighter controls on high-quality US scrap exports. Countries such as Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam are increasingly functioning as alternative routing channels within the global secondary copper supply chain. The timing is significant because the United States continues to export around 1 million tonnes of copper scrap globally in 2025 while domestic secondary refinery production remains limited at approximately 50kt. This imbalance is becoming central to the policy debate in Washington. As US demand for copper accelerates through grid modernization, electrification, AI-driven data center expansion, and defense manufacturing, policymakers are increasingly questioning whether high-grade recyclable copper should continue flowing overseas while the US remains dependent on imported refined copper. Current policy discussions focus on retaining a larger share of premium copper scrap within the domestic market beginning as early as 2027. Although proposals currently stop short of a full export ban, any retention mechanism would still materially reduce export availability for high-quality grades such as bare bright copper and No.1 copper scrap. For China, tighter access to premium scrap has important implications beyond the secondary market. High-quality scrap directly competes with refined copper cathode because it offers high recovery rates with lower processing intensity than primary smelting. If imported scrap availability continues to tighten, Chinese refiners will likely need to increase refined copper purchases to maintain output levels. This dynamic could become increasingly supportive for refined copper markets globally. The primary copper market is already facing structural constraints from weak mine supply growth, declining ore grades, permitting delays, and years of underinvestment in new projects. A simultaneous tightening in high-grade scrap availability would amplify pressure on refined copper balances precisely as demand linked to electrification continues to strengthen. As a result, the market could see narrower scrap discounts relative to cathode, firmer copper premiums in Asia, and increased volatility across both COMEX and LME pricing. The secondary copper market is therefore becoming an increasingly important variable in the broader refined copper outlook. Ultimately, the copper scrap market is no longer operating purely on economic arbitrage. Strategic resource security is becoming a defining driver of trade flows and policy decisions. The rapid growth in ASEAN intermediary trade, combined with collapsing direct Chinese scrap imports and growing US policy intervention, signals that the global copper supply chain is entering a new phase of fragmentation — one that is likely to tighten both scrap and refined copper markets into 2026 and beyond. Author: Shairaz Ahmed, Principal Market Analyst For more information or to discuss market dynamics, you can contact me on shairazahmed@smm.cn