According to data from the online query platform of the General Administration of Customs, China's imports of copper ore and concentrates in March 2026 totaled 2,629,996.23 mt, up 13.84% MoM and 9.99% YoY. Shipments from major supplying countries such as Chile, Peru, and Mongolia all increased to varying degrees. However, spot copper concentrate TCs in China remained at low levels, and the tight ore supply situation continued. Below is the supply breakdown from major source countries for China's copper ore imports since March 2020: Data source: General Administration of Customs (Wenhua Composite)

General Administration of Customs: In February 2026, China imported 2.31 million dmt of copper ore and concentrate, a decrease of 11.97% month-on-month and an increase of 5.84% year-on-year. The cumulative imports in January-February increased by 4.9%.

General Administration of Customs: In January 2026, China imported 2.624 million dmt of copper ores and concentrates, a decrease of 2.96% month-on-month and an increase of 3.72% year-on-year.

According to data from the General Administration of Customs' online query platform, China's imports of copper ores and concentrates in April reached 2.9244 million mt, up 22.20% MoM and 25.62% YoY. Among them, shipments from Chile continued to rebound to approximately 850,000 mt, maintaining its top position, while Peru's supply stopped declining and significantly rebounded to around 786,800 mt. Despite the sequential and year-on-year increases in China's copper ore imports, which reached a new multi-year monthly high, the downward trend in domestic spot processing fees for copper concentrates has not yet halted. The following is the supply situation of China's main import sources of copper ores since March 2020: Source: General Administration of Customs

According to data from the General Administration of Customs online query platform, China's imports of copper ores and concentrates in March reached 2.3939 million mt, up 9.67% MoM and 2.80% YoY. Among them, shipments from Chile rebounded to around 800,000 mt, still ranking first, while supply from Peru continued to decline to around 560,000 mt. Despite the MoM and YoY increases in China's copper ore imports, spot copper concentrate TCs in the domestic market continued to decline, and the tight supply and demand situation in the ore sector remained unchanged. Below is the supply situation of China's major copper ore import sources since 2019: Data source: General Administration of Customs.

According to SMM, China's imports of copper ore and concentrates were 2.5313 million mt in January and 2.1825 million mt in February. Shipments from Chile pulled back MoM, reaching only around 760,000 mt in February but still topping the list. Peru's supply climbed to over 10,000 mt in January before sliding to around 620,000 mt in February. Currently, spot TCs for copper concentrates in China remain in negative territory, with the tightness in copper ore supply yet to be alleviated.

According to data from the General Administration of Customs' online query platform, China's imports of copper ore and concentrates were 2.5313 million mt in January and 2.1825 million mt in February. Among these, shipments from Chile pulled back MoM, reaching only around 760,000 mt in February, but still topped the list. Peru's supply climbed to 660,000 mt in January and then fell to around 620,000 mt in February. Currently, the spot TC for copper concentrates remains in negative territory, with the tight ore supply situation yet to be alleviated. Below are the main sources of China's copper ore imports since 2019: Data source: General Administration of Customs For more updates on the copper industry chain, you are welcome to attend the CCI 2025SMM (20th) Copper Industry Conference and Copper Industry Expo, hosted by SMM, to be held grandly in Nanchang, Jiangxi from April 22-25, 2025. Over 3,000 industry elites, representatives from upstream and downstream enterprises in the copper industry chain, government officials, industry associations, third-party equipment, logistics and warehousing, as well as experts from universities and research institutions will gather together. The conference covers the entire copper industry chain, including mining, smelting, copper processing, trade, recycling, and end-use applications. At the conference, over 100 exhibitors will showcase the latest copper processing and smelting equipment, high-quality raw material suppliers, new-type copper-based materials, and other cutting-edge achievements in the copper industry, highlighting innovation and vitality in the sector. The event features a rich array of activities: the main forum will focus on global copper market trends, raw material supply, policy impact analysis, and market direction interpretation. Sub-forums will delve into specific areas such as electrical transmission and distribution, secondary copper, copper-based new materials, hardware and plumbing, and ESS, discussing hot topics in depth. During the conference, there will also be a two-day field trip to 12 representative copper industry companies with a total capacity of 1 million mt. This will facilitate the sharing of advanced technologies and valuable experiences, promoting the upgrade of the copper industry chain and driving high-quality development in the sector. CCI 2025SMM (20th) Copper Industry Conference and Copper Industry Expo will help you grasp industry trends, expand your network, and discover business opportunities! SMM sincerely invites you to gather in Nanchang, Jiangxi from April 22-25, 2025, to usher in a new era of copper and plan for new developments together!

General Administration of Customs: In August 2024, China's imports of copper ore and concentrate amounted to 2.574 million tons, up 18.9% month-on-month but down 4.56% year-on-year. From January to August, China's cumulative imports of copper ore and concentrate reached 18.061 million tons, with a cumulative year-on-year increase of 3.2%.