Copper exports totaled US$28.13 billion in 2025, representing a 19.31% increase

Peru's copper exports totaled US$28.13 billion between January and December 2025, representing a 19.31% increase compared to the US$23.575 billion recorded in the same period of 2024, according to the Mining Statistics Bulletin of the Ministry of Energy and Mines (MINEM).

With this result, copper cemented its position as the country’s leading mining export, accounting for 30.21% of the total value of national exports during the period under review, thereby reaffirming its strategic importance within Peru’s export structure.

In December 2025 alone, copper shipments totaled US$2.654 billion, representing a 39.31% increase compared to the same month of the previous year, when shipments totaled US$1.905 billion.

According to the report, this performance was primarily driven by the sharp rise in international copper prices, which showed a year-over-year increase of 43.11%. This increase partially offset the slight 2.61% decline in export volume, indicating that the higher value of shipments was primarily due to the price effect.

Favorable market performance was linked to structural demand associated with global electrification and energy transition processes, as well as the dynamism of copper-intensive sectors, including energy infrastructure, the technology industry, and data centers related to the development of artificial intelligence. This was further compounded by a relatively tight international supply context.

In terms of export destinations, China remained the primary market for Peruvian copper, accounting for 75.61% of the total export value in 2025. Japan ranked second, with a share of 6.11%, followed by Spain, with 3.51%.

Together, these three destinations accounted for 85.21% of the country’s copper exports, reflecting a high geographical concentration of shipments and a strong reliance on major industrial markets for the sale of Peruvian copper.

The 2025 balance thus confirms the relevance of copper in the national economy, both for its contribution to foreign trade and for its role within a global context in which the demand for strategic minerals continues to strengthen.