South Australia has exceeded its total copper exports record by reaching $5.2 billion in the 12 months leading up to April 2026, according to figures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
The total copper exports comprised $3.35 billion from copper and copper products and $1.85 billion from copper ores and concentrates.
For refined copper and copper products, the $3.35 billion figure exceeded the prior 12-month period by $542.6 million.
India was the largest market for South Australian copper exports with $1.32 billion, representing a 195% increase. Other key markets included Malaysia with $1.3 billion, China with $1.17 billion, and Thailand with $459.9 million.
South Australian Treasurer Tom Koutsantonis says the global demand for copper could “remain buoyant long into the future”.
“We know that global demand for copper could remain buoyant long into the future and, with two-thirds of Australia’s proven copper deposits, South Australia is incredibly well-placed to meet this demand,” Koutsantonis says.
“We’re doing everything in our power to seize this significant opportunity – our new Indenture agreement with BHP Group (ASX:BHP) could help unlock a world-class copper province in South Australia.
“BHP has forecast capital expenditure of up to $25 billion in South Australia over the next 10 years, and we are providing investment certainty that will harness this historic opportunity to expand copper mining and production.”
South Australian Minister for Defence and Space Industries Chris Picton describes the state’s exports as the “highest they have ever been”.
“We’re continuing to build exports across a varied range of trading partners, which helps us respond to geopolitical challenges,” Picton says.
“Our state is increasingly becoming a global supplier of the critical minerals needed for the energy transition and the technologies shaping the future.
“The rapid economic growth of the Southeast Asian region, in particular, is a significant opportunity for South Australian businesses, with the region now accounting for more than 40% of all copper exports.”
Home-grown copper
As of 17 June 2026, copper was trading at US$6.49 ($9.18) per pound according to Trading Economics, representing a 33.85% year-on-year increase.
PTR Minerals (ASX:PTR) is one company focused on advancing South Australian assets.
PTR Minerals’ portfolio of assets includes the Muckanippie Titanium Project, the Mabel Creek Copper-Gold Project, the Comet Rare Earths Project, and the Woomera Iron Oxide Copper-Gold (IOCG) Project.
The company’s Woomera IOCG Project covers 668km2 of landholding proximal to BHP’s Oak Dam West copper-gold discovery.
PTR Minerals, which has a market capitalisation of $41.48 million, is a critical minerals explorer focused on the discovery of deposits in both frontier and mature mineral provinces.
Write to Maddison Elliott at Mining.com.au
Images: Unsplash
