KEY POINTS
- US imports of DRC copper hit a record 53,290 tons in July 2026.
- Competitive pricing and improved quality are attracting more American industrial buyers.
- China remains Congo’s largest market, despite a decline in its share of Congolese copper exports.
The United States is importing significantly more copper from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), as American industrial buyers increasingly accept the quality of the African producer’s metal and take advantage of competitive prices.
Copper cathode shipments from the DRC to the US reached a record 53,290 metric tons in July 2026, according to US trade data. The figure represented 23.9% of total US copper imports, which surpassed 220,000 tons for the first time.
The surge comes as traders accelerate shipments ahead of the possibility of new tariffs on copper imports.
The latest figures highlight a major shift in the US copper market. In the whole of 2024, the United States imported less than 32,000 tons of copper from the DRC. By July 2026, monthly imports from the country had already reached more than 53,000 tons.
The increase is largely linked to rising copper production in the DRC, which has provided the country with significantly larger volumes available for export.
Despite the growth, none of the DRC’s copper brands are currently registered for delivery on the US COMEX exchange. Only two African copper brands, both from Zambia, are listed among COMEX-approved brands.
Chile and Peru continue to account for more than one-third of the approved brands. Industry analysts say the DRC’s copper is gaining traction because it can be purchased at a discount to exchange-approved material.
Albert Mackenzie, a copper analyst at Benchmark Mineral Intelligence, said the large volume of Congolese copper entering the US suggests that much of it is being sold directly into the physical market rather than through COMEX.
He noted that COMEX copper traded at a premium of between $400 and $600 a ton over the London Metal Exchange (LME) price at times during the summer.
This made non-COMEX-registered copper sold on an LME basis potentially cheaper for industrial consumers.
Two industry sources involved in trading Congolese copper also confirmed that the material is generally priced against the LME.
One trader said copper from the DRC was typically sold at a discount of about $550 to $800 a ton, partly to account for freight costs.
Improved Quality Boosts Acceptance
Beyond pricing, the quality of Congolese copper has also improved considerably in recent years, helping to increase its acceptance among American industrial consumers.
Buyers now include copper rod mills and tube manufacturers, according to an industry source.
The development signals growing confidence in Congolese copper among US manufacturers that require large quantities of the metal for industrial production.
The DRC’s ability to combine increased production with competitive pricing could therefore strengthen its position in the rapidly expanding US copper supply chain.
Despite the surge in US purchases, China remains the DRC’s dominant market for copper.
Chinese imports of Congolese copper declined by 4.3% during the first seven months of 2026. However, Congo’s share of China’s copper imports increased by five percentage points to 44.7% over the same period.
In July alone, China imported 95,778 tons of copper from the DRC, giving the African country a 39.4% share of China’s imports.
Although that was China’s lowest monthly share of Congolese copper since October 2025, the DRC remained by far the country’s largest copper supplier.
The changing flow of Congolese copper reflects broader shifts in the global market, particularly as manufacturers seek reliable supplies amid concerns over tariffs, production constraints and rising demand.
For the DRC, increased access to the US market provides an opportunity to diversify its customer base beyond its traditional dependence on China.
With production expanding and US buyers becoming more comfortable with its copper, the DRC could play an increasingly important role in supplying the American market.
The development also highlights the growing importance of African copper producers in global efforts to secure supplies of the metal, which is critical to manufacturing, construction, power infrastructure and the energy transition.
