Copper

Copper (Cu, from Latin "cuprum," referencing Cyprus) is one of humanity's oldest metals, discovered around 10,000 years ago, with copper-tin alloying sparking the Bronze Age roughly 4,500 years ago. Today there are 400+ copper alloys in everyday use. In 2019 the global primary copper market hit ~23.5 million tonnes (up 55% since 2000), worth over $140bn,  the largest non-ferrous metals market by value.

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Copper is one of the more common elements in the Earth’s crust. Identified resources amount to over 2bn tonnes (metal content), almost two-thirds of which occur in the Americas, and about 40% in South America alone. By contrast, less than 20% occur in Asia, which is now home to over 70% of the world’s primary copper consumption. This mismatch between where copper resources occur and where copper is wanted drives substantial international trade in copper raw materials and metal

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Copper's value comes from being the best electrical/thermal conductor among non-precious metals, plus strong ductility, machinability, and corrosion resistance. Its biggest use is in equipment manufacturing (generators, motors, transformers), followed by construction, infrastructure, and transport. Demand looks strong going forward, driven by EV growth and renewable energy expansion, and recycled copper, which loses none of its properties, is playing a growing role as sustainability becomes a bigger purchasing factor.