Coils, coiled copper wires, lie on pallets within the wire plant (coiler) at Aurubis AG.
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U.S. President Donald Trump has slammed an appeals court docket resolution to briefly block a land switch wanted by mining giants Rio Tinto and BHP to develop what’s slated to develop into one of many nation’s greatest copper mines.
In a put up on social media platform Reality Social on Tuesday, Trump stated the newest setback to Arizona’s Decision Copper mine would influence hundreds of jobs at a time when the world’s largest economic system “fairly merely, wants Copper — AND NOW!”
His feedback got here shortly after he met the chief executives of Rio Tinto and BHP on the White Home, alongside Inside Secretary Doug Burgum.
Two of the world’s largest mining corporations, Rio Tinto and BHP have been attempting to develop the Arizona copper undertaking collectively for roughly 20 years, however the procedures have been beset by authorized points.
The ninth U.S. Circuit Court docket of Appeals on Monday issued a short lived restraining order to forestall a land switch whereas the court docket considers challenges which have been introduced by opponents together with the San Carlos Apache Tribe, which is searching for to dam the undertaking over non secular, cultural and environmental causes.
“It’s so unhappy that Radical Left Activists can do that, and have an effect on the lives of so many individuals. People who fought it are Anti-American, and representing different Copper aggressive International locations,” Trump stated in a Reality Social put up.
Members of the Native American group Apache Stronghold maintain protest playing cards forward of formally asking the U.S. Supreme Court docket to overturn an earlier ruling permitting Rio Tinto to develop the Decision Copper mine in Arizona, outdoors the court docket in Washington, U.S., September 11, 2024.
Piroschka Van De Wouw | Reuters
Decision Copper described the Monday ruling as “merely a short lived pause,” including it was assured the court docket would in the end affirm the required land switch.
“This proposed mine is a rip-off, will destroy a sacred space, decimates our surroundings, threatens our water rights, and is dangerous for America,” Terry Rambler, chairman of the San Carlos Apache Tribe, stated in a Fb put up.
Addressing Trump’s Reality Social put up on the latest court docket ruling, Rambler stated the U.S. president’s feedback “mirror misinformation that has been repeated by international mining pursuits that need to extract American copper.”
He added that he was keen to satisfy with the Trump administration to assist “defend American pursuits.”
Copper demand
The Arizona copper undertaking is a proposed underground mine roughly 60 miles east of Phoenix, near the the city of Superior. The three way partnership is 55% owned by Rio Tinto and 45% by BHP.
Decision Copper says the ore deposit represents “one of the vital untapped copper deposits right this moment” and estimates the potential for the undertaking so as to add $1 billion a yr to Arizona’s economic system.
A extremely conducive steel, copper is a important part to nearly all the pieces within the fashionable economic system, from photo voltaic panels and wind generators to protection functions and synthetic intelligence infrastructure.
Demand for copper is predicted to skyrocket over the approaching years, dramatically outstripping provide amid the vitality transition.
In a LinkedIn put up, BHP CEO Mike Henry thanked Trump and Burgum for “for his or her sturdy management to reinvigorate mining and processing provide chains in and for America.”
Alongside Rio Tinto CEO Jakob Stausholm and the corporate’s incoming CEO Simon Trott, BHP’s Henry stated they met with Trump and Burgum to underscore the agency’s dedication to develop Decision Copper.
US President Donald Trump speaks throughout a gathering with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy within the Oval Workplace of the White Home in Washington, DC, on August 18, 2025.
Mandel Ngan | AFP | Getty Photographs
The U.S. produces solely about 5% of the world’s copper, in keeping with Dutch financial institution ING and has seen a 20% decline in manufacturing during the last decade. Constructing new mines within the nation, in the meantime, can take a substantial period of time as a result of a prolonged allowing course of.
Trump not too long ago shocked markets by exempting refined metals from tariffs on copper merchandise. The U.S. president initially touted copper tariffs of fifty% as a part of an effort to spice up home manufacturing and cut back the nation’s reliance on imports.
In a pared-back announcement thereafter, nonetheless, Trump stated the U.S. would impose a 50% tariff on copper pipes and wiring from Aug. 1, leaving out copper ores, concentrates and cathodes.
Greater than half of worldwide copper reserves are stated to be situated in simply 5 nations — Chile, Australia, Peru, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Russia.
