Copper’s next decade looks challengingThe world needs roughly the same new copper supply growth in t

Copper’s next decade looks challengingThe world needs roughly the same new copper supply growth in the next 10 years that took the previous 30 years — about 12 Mtpa of additional metal.Why it’s tough:Discoveries collapsed: 200 large finds (1990–2010) vs only 20 (2010–2025)Ore grades fell from 2% to 0.6% and keep decliningPast growth came mainly from Latin America, Asia-Pacific and Africa through policy shifts and big investment. Repeating it now has to happen much faster.Bottom line: We’re not running out of copper in the ground — but time, capital and declining grades are real constraints. Without a sharp acceleration in new projects, the 2030s look tight.Will supply catch up in time?@The_Economist_Telegram