Thierry Pairault posted on 7 September 2026 an analysis titled "African Copper and China."
China has become a major player in the copper industry. China accounts for 48 percent of the world's copper refining capacity, while its mine production is estimated at only 8 percent of world production and it holds only 4 percent of world reserves.
Africa's two major copper exporters, the DRC and Zambia, already had duty free access to China for copper in all its forms. China's recent removal of all tariffs on all African exports, except from Eswatini will not impact their export of copper to China. The main obstacle facing the DRC and Zambia is their ability to meet demand, whether through extracting more copper or withstanding competition from other suppliers such as Chile and Peru.
