United States President Donald Trump’s proposed 50% tariff on copper imports would have an effect on Mexican exports price round US $1 billion per 12 months.
Nonetheless, President Claudia Sheinbaum on Wednesday raised the likelihood that the tariff received’t apply to Mexican exports of the metallic.
14/ Dwell Copper Tariff Choice:
Trump requested about copper tariffs throughout assembly.
Scott instructed 50% fee.
Trump accredited instantly: “50%.” pic.twitter.com/WssCVWBDsJ
— Karl Mehta (@karlmehta) July 9, 2025
At a cupboard assembly on Tuesday, Trump enumerated the assorted merchandise on which his administration has imposed import tariffs.
“We did metal, as you understand 50%; we did aluminum 50%; lumber simply got here out and we did vehicles. And at this time we’re doing copper. I imagine the tariff on copper we’re going to make it 50%,” he advised reporters.
U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick mentioned in a subsequent interview that the tariff on copper would possible take impact on the finish of July or on August 1. In February, Trump directed Lutnick to “provoke an investigation underneath part 232 of the Commerce Growth Act to find out the results on nationwide safety of imports of copper in all types.”
Mexico was the third-largest exporter of copper and copper merchandise to america in 2024, behind Chile and Canada. These exports had been price US $976 million, in accordance with U.S. Division of Commerce information.
America spent $17.11 billion on copper imports final 12 months. Subsequently, Mexico had a 5.7% share of america’ marketplace for imports of the important industrial metallic.
Chile, whose copper exports to america had been price $6.11 billion final 12 months, had a 35.7% share, whereas Canada, whose copper exports to the U.S. had been price $3.99 billion, had a 23.3% share.
Mexico’s copper exports to america within the first 5 months of the 12 months had been price $419 million, a 12% annual improve. Regardless of the rise, Mexico was solely the sixth-largest copper exporter to the U.S. between January and Could.
Mexico exports considerably extra copper to China than to america. The worth of Mexican copper ores and concentrates exported to China in 2024 was $3.72 billion, in accordance with Mexico’s Economic system Ministry.
Sonora is well Mexico’s prime copper-producing state, accounting for round 80% of complete output. The metallic is “vital to electrical automobiles, navy {hardware}, the ability grid and lots of shopper items,” Reuters reported.
Sheinbaum: ‘We’re at all times going to hunt one of the best circumstances for Mexico’
At her Wednesday morning press convention, Sheinbaum highlighted that Mexico exports extra copper to China than america.
“We export extra [copper] to China than america, however we do export to america. A whole lot of it’s scrap copper that’s refined in america,” she mentioned.
Sheinbaum harassed that america wants copper from Mexico.
“That’s the huge difficulty after they impose these tariffs for the safety of america economic system and for extra manufacturing. In actuality, a very good a part of exports is as a result of United States business and firms want [foreign copper],” she mentioned.
After saying “we’re going to attend” to see what occurs with america’ proposed copper tariff, Sheinbaum famous {that a} delegation of Mexican officers led by Economic system Minister Marcelo Ebrard will meet with U.S. officers in Washington on Friday to work on the bilateral “world settlement” she proposed to Trump final month.
She mentioned on June 18 that the U.S. president had agreed to her proposal to ascertain a “world settlement” between Mexico and america overlaying safety, migration and commerce.
On Wednesday, Sheinbaum mentioned that the primary “conversations” between Mexico and america to that finish would happen on Friday.
“In fact, we’re at all times going to hunt one of the best circumstances for Mexico,” she mentioned.
In latest months, Ebrard has traveled often to Washington to have interaction in commerce discussions with Trump administration officers, together with Lutnick. On behalf of the Mexican authorities, he’s looking for to win an exemption from, or not less than a discount of, the tariffs america has imposed on imports of metal, aluminum and vehicles from Mexico, though the 2 international locations have a free commerce settlement, the USMCA, which additionally contains Canada.
On Tuesday, Ebrard mentioned he would search extra particulars about america’ proposed copper tariff.
“I’ll have a name with United States authorities at this time after which I’ll be capable to offer you a extra exact place as a result of even they didn’t know [the details],” he advised reporters.
“We have to know what it applies to. We’re going to grasp that first,” Ebrard mentioned.
Whereas it exports copper to international locations together with China and america, Mexico imports copper from Chile and Peru to be used in a spread of manufactured merchandise. The newspaper El Financiero reported that Chilean and Peruvian copper in items manufactured in Mexico “might be topic” to the U.S. tariffs the Trump administration intends to impose.
That may “have an effect on the competitiveness of our most refined exports and make your entire industrial worth chain costlier,” José de Jesús Rodríguez, a tax analyst, advised El Financiero.
With experiences from El Economista, El Financiero and Reuters
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