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China should expand the use of aluminum and recycled copper to manage its limited copper resources, the China Nonferrous Metals Industry Association (CNIA) suggested. As copper concentrate supplies remain tight, many Chinese smelters are seeing profits fall, with some relying on byproducts to stay afloat, CNIA Chairman Ge Honglin noted.

Ge proposed that boosting recycled copper usage could reduce China’s reliance on foreign copper, which currently exceeds 70%. He predicted China’s recycled copper volume could rise from 2.5 million metric tons in 2024 to 3.5 million by 2030.

Additionally, Ge encouraged the substitution of copper with aluminum due to its cost advantages, as copper prices are more than 3.5 times those of aluminum. To secure aluminum resources, Chinese firms have acquired over 8 billion tons of foreign bauxite, essential for aluminum production.