The United States has updated its list of critical minerals, adding copper as essential for its economic and national security. This category covers raw materials with vulnerable supply chains and key roles in manufacturing. For Chile, the world's top copper exporter, this designation could affect trade policies under the Trump administration.
The United States updated its list of critical minerals, now comprising 60 elements, adding ten new ones including copper, uranium, and silver. According to the official U.S. definition, these minerals are “essential for economic or national security,” have “a supply chain vulnerable to disruptions,” and fulfill “an essential function in the manufacture of a product whose absence would have significant consequences for the economic or national security of the United States.”
This update, announced under the Donald Trump administration, determines which basic products fall under the Section 232 investigation on processed critical minerals and derivatives, started in mid-April. Bloomberg noted it could lead to tariffs and trade restrictions. Trump has prioritized strengthening the national supply of these minerals, arguing that excessive reliance on foreign imports endangers national security, infrastructure development, and technological innovation.
Copper imports account for nearly half of total U.S. consumption, mainly from Chile, Peru, and Canada, though most global refining occurs in China. For Chile, whose main export is copper, this designation has mixed implications: Trump promised to boost the national copper industry and impose tariffs on exports to the United States, but refined copper shipped from Chile was excluded from the 50% tariff applied to copper in general on July 30.
The list also aims to guide investments in state-level projects in the United States. Kathleen Quirk, executive director of Freeport, told Reuters in March: “We are not seeking subsidies, but if the government is trying to incentivize domestic production (of copper), it is important to recognize that the United States does not have the same qualities that we have internationally.”