深度剖析：我国为何非常“缺铜”？

Core Viewpoint - China is facing a severe "copper shortage" despite being rich in resources, necessitating strategic responses to ensure copper supply for its industrialization process [1][5][23]. Group 1: Copper Demand and Importance - Copper is the second-best conductor of electricity and heat, making it essential for the power and telecommunications industries, with about half of the global copper supply used in these sectors [3]. - The demand for copper is increasing globally, with China being one of the fastest-growing markets for copper [3]. Group 2: Domestic Copper Resource Challenges - China's domestic copper production and consumption have ranked first globally for several years, but local copper resources are becoming increasingly scarce, leading to a "copper crisis" [5]. - From 2010 to 2020, China's copper concentrate imports surged from 2.92 million tons to 3.627 million tons, an increase of 707,000 tons [5]. Group 3: Characteristics of China's Copper Resources - China's copper resources are concentrated in the southwest, northwest, and eastern regions, but most deposits are small to medium-sized, complicating extraction efforts [16]. - The average ore grade in China is below 0.4%, significantly lower than the global average of 0.87%, which diminishes the economic viability of mining [16]. - The complex terrain where copper deposits are located leads to high extraction costs and development challenges [16]. Group 4: Strategic Responses to Copper Shortage - China has intensified overseas acquisitions of copper mines, investing over $16 billion in more than 30 copper projects globally from 2011 to 2021 [18]. - A notable acquisition is the Las Bambas copper mine in Peru, purchased by China Minmetals for $7.005 billion, which is crucial for China's copper supply chain [18]. - Domestic development and technological advancements are also being prioritized, focusing on low-grade ore utilization and improving smelting processes [20]. Group 5: Future Outlook - The copper shortage is a significant challenge for China's modernization, but through joint development and technological innovation, progress is being made [23]. - Continued efforts in optimizing resource integration and recovery will be essential for sustainable industrial development in the future [20][23].