The Democratic Republic of Congo is gaining a stronger position in the United States copper market as American industrial buyers increase purchases of Congolese metal, supported by competitive pricing and improved product quality.
According to Reuters, U.S. imports of copper cathodes from Congo reached a record 53,290 metric tons in July, giving the country a 23.9% share of total U.S. copper imports during the month.
Overall U.S. copper imports also exceeded 220,000 tons for the first time as traders moved metal into the country ahead of the possibility of tariffs.
The rise represents a major change in Congo’s access to the U.S. market. The United States imported less than 32,000 tons of Congolese copper during the whole of 2024, while higher production has since given the world’s second-largest copper producer significantly more metal to sell.
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The increase is particularly notable because no copper brands from Congo are currently approved for delivery on the U.S. COMEX exchange.
Only two African copper brands, both from Zambia, are included on the COMEX list, while more than one-third of approved brands come from Chile and Peru.
Despite that limitation, Congolese copper is finding stronger demand directly from industrial consumers in the U.S. physical market.
Albert Mackenzie, a copper analyst at Benchmark Mineral Intelligence, told Reuters that the trend suggests Congo’s metal may be moving directly to physical buyers at a lower cost than COMEX-approved brands.
The premium paid for COMEX copper over London Metal Exchange prices reached between $400 and $600 per ton at times during the summer.
Two industry sources dealing with Congolese copper also confirmed that the metal is priced using the London Metal Exchange as a benchmark. One source said the copper is typically sold at a discount of $550 to $800 per ton to account for freight costs.
Price is only part of the shift.
Another industry source told Reuters that the standard of Congolese copper has improved significantly in recent years, helping the metal gain greater acceptance among U.S. consumers.
Buyers now include copper rod mills and tube manufacturers, showing that Congolese copper is reaching industrial users despite its absence from the COMEX-approved list.
The change in U.S. demand is also happening as Congo continues to dominate copper supply to China.
Chinese imports of Congolese copper fell by 4.3% during the first seven months, although Congo’s share of China’s copper imports increased by five percentage points to 44.7% during the period.
In July alone, China imported 95,778 tons of copper from Congo, representing a 39.4% market share. While that was its lowest share since October, Congo remained China’s largest copper supplier.
What This Means For Africa
The rise in U.S. demand gives Congo an opportunity to broaden the international market for one of its most important mineral exports.
China remains a major destination for Congolese copper, but record shipments to the United States show that buyers in another major industrial economy are becoming more comfortable with the quality and pricing of the country’s metal.
That diversification could become important for Africa’s wider mining sector as producers seek stronger access to multiple global markets instead of relying heavily on a small number of major buyers.
For Congo, the development is particularly significant because its copper is gaining U.S. market share even without COMEX approval.
Competitive pricing, higher production and improved quality are helping Congolese suppliers overcome that limitation and reach industrial consumers directly.
If the trend continues, Congo could strengthen its position not only as one of the world’s largest copper producers, but also as an increasingly important supplier across several major global markets.
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Image Credit: Deutsche Welle
