China owns most of the global supply chains for copper. The US wants to get them back.

Copper is essential for the modern economy, and China has control over much of the world's supply. China is also the world's top buyer of copper ore, the world's top refiner, and the world's top consumer. Most of all, China has deep relationships with mining companies and their host governments, after years of huge infrastructural investments across the developing world.
The United States is already at a disadvantage in our efforts to "friendshore" the copper industry. Making the problem much worse is the Biden Administration's hostility to domestic mining, which has seen the cancelation of massive new projects that would have brought millions of tons of copper to the market.
Now the US is trying to build relationships with copper miners across the world, and has budgeted about $800 million to the effort. Last year, China spent more than $19 billion on new mining projects outside China.
Resources and links:
Wall Street Journal, Why the World Has Gone Cuckoo for Copper
www.wsj.com/business/why-the-...
Global copper reserves by country, 2022
natural-resources.canada.ca/o...
Reuters, U.S. bans mining in parts of Minnesota, dealing latest blow to Antofagasta's copper project
www.reuters.com/legal/litigat...
Reuters, Mining company loses bid to revive Minnesota copper, nickel project
www.reuters.com/legal/litigat...
Crushing Alaska’s Pebble Mine
www.nrdc.org/stories/crushing...
EPA stops Alaska’s Pebble mine with rarely used power
alaskapublic.org/2023/01/31/e...
Biden admin hits pause on Arizona copper mine
www.eenews.net/articles/biden...
China Copper seeks to acquire overseas mines amid tight supply, chairman says
www.mining.com/web/china-copp...

[@donsuttie3758]

I'm a semi retired, 77 year old mining engineer. I've worked on many projects throughout Africa for more than 50 years. The USA has no influence in Africa, Africans are tired of being dictated to. Chinese are everywhere in Africa building roads, airports, ports and communications networks while the USA fights endless wars with borrowed money. While some African politicians may pay lip service to the Americans, it's always the Chinese who get access to their resources at the end of the day.

[@frankm6218]

I was working in a ME country around 15 years ago, one of my colleagues was an American. He always hide his American passport and claimed a Canadian when we were travelling in that country while went through checkpoints. Why? Because Americans were hated and could be beaten up by the soldiers in checkpoints. Felt sorry to my colleague but shocked me as well of how much Americans were hated.

[@TAL142]

UK and Australia often buy the rights to mines but don't use them. They just speculate using their leverage to get these mine cheap. So they don't provide any job or create any infrastructures. It is much better to deal with China directly. They build roads and factories and extract the mines for their own uses. So they also help infrastructures like roads and port and provide jobs in Africa.

[@amandagrant4331]

US is neither willing to help Africa by itself nor willing to see China help Africa. Africans are not fools.

[@jogana6909]

If US is worried that Africa will fall into China's debt trap, then US donation to Africa is the simplest solution. Unfortunately, however, we didn't see the action of US. US just chatters like a dissatisfied housewife.

[@Zerpentsa6598]

The Chinese roll up their sleeves and work alongside the locals without discrimination. Westerners stay in their aircon offices and compounds.

[@Crsmg]

Military bases and Hollywood vs infrastructure and industry

[@tomiputra3720]

And Hollywood is dying too

[@cb250nighthawk3]

Taylor Swift prancing around on stage does bring in good income from around the world 🌎

[@vengeancerecovery5535]

It sounds like $740m investment from the americans are more to "COUP" @ "REGIME CHANGE" @ "COLOR REVOLUTION" @ "INTERFERING" & best of all..."OUR" Rules Based Order.....😊....only Ni Hao, PRIVET & Salam from Malaysia

[@cuteandfunnyearthlings2863]

Definitely.

[@michaelloong964]

the CIA likes to bribe foreign politicians to make America great again

[@moreless2690]

China's approach to business is not meant to achieve zero-sum gain. Mutual respect, trust, and cooperation are necessary for us to rise when the tide comes.

[@truthaboveall7988]

Yes & the saddest part is they actually loved America & want nothing more than win/win w us Xi even invited us to partner in BRI when it was just an idea he shared w John Kerry standing in for Obama - of course we shifted to Asia instead He shouldn’t have told us his plans

[@tomiputra3720]

The US is so desperate that they are now stealing Tesla supercharger wire to recycle them 😅

[@astroganov]

It seems that video went viral, haha

[@reginald7214]

😂😆

[@user-ih4yh9ww2u]

LOL, this is not a joke!

[@horridohobbies]

Chinese strategy is beyond brilliant. China plays weiqi (go), while the USA plays tic-tac-toe.

[@EdmundLam-ku8ro]

US play backside 😂😂😂😢😮

[@trekpac2]

That rings true.

[@ZweiZwolf]

China always play the long game, they have unmatched patience to let trees grow from seedlings.

[@tonyatgoogle6076]

😅😅😅 good one

[@alanbgtan]

The difference between Chinese people who saves money to buy anything while American buys on credit card always.

[@taiwanstillisntacountry]

Sanction Chinese cotton. USA aka IOU-country forgot Xinjiang cotton is used for artillery shells 😂😂😂😂. Sanction Chinese pharmaceutical companies. Ooopsy, Chinese pharmaceutical companies deliver most raw-materials or medicine for USA pharmaceutical industry.

[@vgstb]

Thank you Kevin! The Global Majority aka the Global South is sick and tired of the funny games played by the US.

[@hermon1415]

but philippines/ filipino still trust u.s.a. they adored u.s.a

[@DongsMBM]

@@hermon1415 colonies dont have a say on there own policies

[@daniellee8720]

America - let me sanction you. Whilst we have nothing to show for....own goal

[@Black_Sun_Dark_Star]

Aren't most Africa nations not want anything to do with USA?

[@hclau218]

Bcos the US only ever discuss military alliance.

[@fannyalbi9040]

because what african get is lecturing about china instead 😂😂😂

[@jchung5265]

They are going to face regime change!

[@Black_Sun_Dark_Star]

@@fannyalbi9040 🤣🤣 A earful of unsolicited lecture 🤣🤣

[@ZweiZwolf]

A lot of them are forced into "anti-terrorism" agreements.

[@ICEMAN_GT]

USA is getting very pathetic..

[@hz240]

Far beyond “getting”.

[@jchung5265]

Alcapone really encourages school yard bullies, gangs breeding!

[@BebekGoreng88]

it's been like that since long ago, only there were not many like Kevin, so we didn't know.

[@michaeltse6961]

👏👏👏👏🎯

[@jazening3075]

Bingo!👍🙂

[@astroganov]

If they can simply print money and buy copper - why would they want to open their own mines ?

[@hoksuncandra9030]

😅😅😅😅😅

[@hz240]

Exactly my thought. Why waste energy/labour to mine the raw materials when they can borrow trillions from the Fed?

[@user-qd8yg1fp7i]

Herein lies d rub... Printing money kills d soul...

[@hz240]

@@user-qd8yg1fp7i Do they have an option at this point? Debt default on the horizon but they will resort to inflating away the u$d simply because their leaders are unwilling to accept the alternative.

[@antonyjh1234]

Who is "they" C or USA?

[@dipperq]

When your military budget is not over the next 20 countries combined, 19B is feasible.

[@tkh2944]

The policies & approach to the matter between a dysfunctional and meritocratic government is very different.😮✌️

[@mingouczjcz3800]

Basically, China is the world industrial hub, so it materially knows what resources are needed to source preemptively. The U.S. is a basically armchair resource chaser, always one or few steps behind China.

[@amandagrant4331]

China had no choice. China can't print money like US.

[@michaelloong964]

The US is not armchair chaser, it's arm dealer.

[@jogana6909]

Indians are good at talking, but not at doing. Americans are learning from India.

[@DragonYang01]

Mining is not just digging rocks from the ground. The raw materials need to be refined which process is very energy consuming and costly to minimise environmental impact. China has spent 40 years learning how to do the refinements for various metals and spend additional money to build green energy sources and transportation infrastructure. This is where US will fail miserably because the return on investment can only be measured by a much large grander scale, not just mining itself. Further, as Kevin pointed, China wins by developing friendship and achieving mutual benefits. Being friends, people need to be equal first. Does US know how to treat other countries equally?

[@davidrichards1741]

Excellent point. Similarly, an advanced TSMC semiconductor plant is not just a factory. It depends on highly skilled engineers that Taiwan and China have in spades but the US badly lacks. Like how a bakery mostly depends on the human baker, not just having an oven. This is why TSMC plant in US is a big failure.

[@10lauset]

@@davidrichards1741 TSMC also got stiffed with money inducements promised by Biden.

[@lukawong8921]

Xinjiang is an extremely beautiful place with wonderful people living there.

[@root3183]

China's economic thinking is to help developing countries become rich and have more customers for their products. Although there will be many more competitors, because there are too many customers, sales will still be higher than before, even if the market share is lower than before. The economic thinking in the United States is to kill your competitors so that you can sell your products at as high a price as you like. Even if there are fewer and fewer customers, you can still maintain huge profits by raising prices, because there are no competitors and you can only buy my products at high prices as long as you need them.

[@ZweiZwolf]

The US wants to steal the pie, China makes the pie bigger and better.

[@jaytan915]

It's important to make friends.

[@astroganov]

It's important not to be @$$holes.

[@kean-leongang1167]

I automatically chuckled with your parting words, "we don't have any". Sounded like what a group of men would say when their wives kick them to the couch.

[@jchung5265]

Okay so alcapone wants more than just TikTok? 😂😂😂

[@etbuch4873]

Hochstein flying back and froth between Africa and the US! Wow, he must have accumulated a lot of mileage, which he could cash in to get free tickets or huge discount on his flight later on.

[@hanmi1216]

IMO he bloated the official traveling budget. The mileage is just a fraction compared to that.

[@bhtansg]

US can just tell the Aussies to stop selling to China and only sell to the US. Thats a 11% world copper share. I'm sure they will wag their tail.

[@bchilenje]

But they want money now, not in 20 years

[@ZweiZwolf]

They could, and Australia would see surprising drops in Chinese trade for no reason whatsoever. The last time this happened, Australia's economy took a big hit. As a desert island, Australia is good at farming, but it's hard when you can't sell to a big buyer.

[@ExternalInputs]

It would depend on existing contracts and Chinese investments. Australia knows China is the reliable buyer, it'd take some powerful bullying and coercion from the US to change anything.

[@teatree6228]

@@ExternalInputsjust offer the current PM a job after politics in USA with 6 figure salary

[@danysl2008]

Aussie government would be threatened to go to war with China if not following US’s order.

[@trekpac2]

“The Chinese government buys a 1-way ticket to Africa and South America and they take $10 billion with them.” That just tells me everything. I am from British Columbia, Canada, and when I drove by a big copper mine close to Kelowna a few months ago, I asked my local friend “who owns it?” He said “The Chinese”. I should have known!

[@benkenobi292]

You mean they didn’t forget about Allende and Pinochet?

[@iansen57002]

Thank U Kevin. Since early 1970 US minning company named Freeport established in Papua - Indonesia started sending copper, silver and gold in raw material or sludge directly to US and at the end of this year those sludge will be processed in East Java- Indonesia. I mean most of Indonesian copper are for US company until nowaday. While China has huge nickel from Sulawesi - Indonesia. I am Indonesian by the way. Just share what I knew. Thank U again

[@blackhorseteck8381]

The US and Europe still live in 1965, most of the world have moved on and is not gonna wait for them to catch on.

[@themiddlekingdom9121]

What happened to climate change when the American politicians ban new mining on their own soil, put over 100 percent tariffs on the Chinese made EVs, increased tariffs on the Chinese made battery, increased tariffs on Chinese made solar pannels and the list go on and on.

[@davidrichards1741]

That shows how climate change is BS created to carry out a hidden agenda.

[@wongpohchan9485]

Well, that's how the government makes money from its citizens.

[@cuteandfunnyearthlings2863]

Remember China and every other country do not invest in USA, once bitten twice shy.

[@bhmcrumbs1348]

With its policies, it's not hard to predict the country's destiny. 🚀⏳🚽

[@rickytan8009]

Too late for States, too late

[@shambalkaran9258]

A fool and it's hegemony is soon seperated

[@edwardlim7253]

Thanks Kevin.. hope to hear from you on Xinjiang

[@alanfing639]

sad state of affairs

[@douginorlando6260]

Looking at the copper reserves pie chart makes me suspect Chile will have another coup. Like the movie “Missing” about Chile (based on documents from an actual lawsuit against Kissinger).

[@noname106]

I don't think that a coup like that would be necessary nowadays. Although the current government pretends to be left wing, it's very pro-US/west and subservient to the oligarchy, just like its right wing opposition. Chilean elites overall, regardless of political affiliation, are not nationalistic at all and continue to idolize the West even when its decline is undeniable to the rest of the world. Ironically, the previous right wing president was very friendly with China and recently died in a helicopter crash. Not speculating but his death did mark the end of the "China-friendly" side of the neoliberal right wing.

[@BrandyHeng007]

US chose Confrontation China chose Cooperation Many countries prefer doing business with China.

[@cliffordnelson8454]

The US just starts spenindg 10s of billions in subsidies. And while at it 10s of billions for other resources. How many trillions will US spend every year.

[@davidrichards1741]

IMHO that's better that than spending 1.4 trillion on "defence" which is mostly warmongering and political pork projects or worse.

[@ez3422]

When China comes, they talk about business, when the US comes, they talk about China. This is the difference.

[@davidlim5]

Do not invest in the U.S at all.!!!

[@inkbold8511]

It’s same as India now.

[@nmew6926]

African leaders and people love to be respected. Chinese understand that but not the Yankees.

[@justme6275]

Chinese culture, friendship, business, money and win-win.

[@kibakobo]

I once wished to see that American of rust belt. And true pristine wilderness of Montana without living in fear of being judged by anyone. Now sadly we don’t live in those times.

[@7hx89]

Xinjiang is heaven on earth. Please make an episode on cotton harvesting, using drone or machinery (some from the US/caterpillar?), and it’s unstoppable global supply chain, with the apparel industry AND its much needed military demands. Will be another eye opening episode. ❤

[@tedchandran]

Jai Hind. Use Regime change, change and change again

[@peterkogl1329]

Thank you Kevin. Thanks for the education.

[@dewinmoonl]

after 2:28 I instinctively imagined you'd say "have a good afternoon, be good"

[@SUNNMANN139]

Great analysis on the China vs US positions of copper utilization.

[@dsc0273]

Thanks Kevin

[@ZweiZwolf]

The US won't get any of this, because the US cannot do long term investment with slow payoff. The friendliness with America doesn't matter at all if there's no immediate business case.

[@EduardoValle-rm4xy]

Thank you Kevin!

[@literati3122]

Your analysis is brilliant, neatly condense, and without bias. I’m recommending your channel to all my friends. Thank u for citing your analysis, I really enjoy your format

[@parttimethinker7611]

Xinjiang China is so green and beautiful Kevin. What gives? I thought it’s a desert area.

[@rap3208]

Xinjiang is big, nearly four times the size of California, and one-sixth the size of all of China.

[@parttimethinker7611]

@@rap3208 thanks Kevin for taking your precious time to answer me. Love your videos.

[@wanderingquestions7501]

Thanks Kevin. Good work.

[@AIPretendingToBeHuman]

The US dilemma -- Investors can make more money in a day on Crypto (BC), Tech Companies (Nvidia), Meme Stock (Gamestop) than they can in investing in mines or factories (which is almost guaranteed to lose money or cancelled ) (Intel) in 10 years.

[@ahliong]

The difference is tengible and intengible asset.

[@HeatherHaymeer]

Another solid analysis. Thanks Kevin. BTW, how and why you travel to vast different regions in China in very short orders? Just curious😮

[@JA-pn4ji]

The US has the $dollar reserve currency... for now!

[@Xplosiv3s]

Thank you for talking about my favourite metal 😂👍

[@iyibu01]

We love your interesting explanations Kevin.

[@yaoliang1580]

The battle for the world's natural resources is very fierce.

[@user-xp4of2vu4r]

Based on the information you provide, our propensity to yield national self interest to the pitiful demands of loud voices from a few self-serving organizations will be our downfall and dismay. We have allowed too many girly-boys to take control of our world and we will pay the price. Only the tough can survive and that's Natures way - forever! Thanks for your program.

[@g.m.8360]

We spend a lot of sanction money we can afford to buy anything 😂😂

[@ngvkhtnw22]

I don't have any suggested solution to the problem of America's insane, absolutely insane, partisan politics the result of which is that NO political leader can afford to work for any long term vision for the country because s/he has ONLY ONE YEAR to work on anything; the first year is for organization and consolidation of bureaucratic power, the second year is for policy, and from then on, the third and the fourth year are for nothing else but electioneering, and the cycle keeps repeating itself.

[@ZweiZwolf]

You forgot mid-term elections, which is why 2nd year is also a bust.

[@noname106]

I mostly agree with this, but I would say Chile has been increasingly unreliable for China lately. It's worth looking into how the lithium deal there is going and how Chinese investors are being treated in the negotiations. Its bad. I'm Chilean and familiar with the mining sector/political environment. The current government is extremely pro-US/West and so is its right wing opposition. The entire elite class is like that. They would gladly accept a bad deal from the US/West, as long as it benefits them personally, rather than accept a good deal from China that benefits the majority of Chilean people. They are not nationalistic like Peruvian elites. Also the state has no influence over private mining companies. They each have their own interests and motives. The only state owned mining company has also been making disastrous unnecessary deals with western firms in what is certainly an attempt to break the company in order to privatize it.

[@syncmaster915n]

To get back the supply chain, It'll be an uphill battle for sure.

[@Nekoeye]

The U.S. diplomats go back and forth and tell the other nations how dangerous China is and will take over your country. 😂😂😂

[@ramonching7772]

Seems like there is a chance the US will be using horse and carriage in 20 years. Ha ha ha

[@Ace1000ks19751982]

In the US making long term investments isn't done, because it isn't profitable. Investing in education, not profitable. Investing in plants, factories, etc not profitable in the 1st quarter.

[@willengel-vs8ht]

the empire wants to get the copper supply chain back, was the supply chain belonged to the empire to begin with?

[@martinwilby8942]

be good

[@dailyreckoning1408]

Lets go brandon!

[@skywire5595]

Where you got all this information 😳

[@justme6275]

Chinese plan for the long term while the west is today.

[@marcgatto9675]

Canadian miner First Quantum was forced to close its $10 billion dollar copper mine in Panama. 1.5% of global copper production is gone in one day.

[@Dawson2011H]

Just heard news about thieves are cutting Tesla supper charger cables just to get the copper in the cable. I can take that as copper shortage. Same as catalyst converter

[@talast2000]

Stealing copper from the charging cables has been happening for many years. It's nothing new. That's one of the frustrations about owning an EV. you might be able to find a charging station, but it may not be in working condition, someone is already using it, or it's missing the charging cable. People who are stealing the cables are not necessarily doing it for money, some of them do it to spite the EV owners. Because they because ICE vehicles are the norm and any EV is an abomination.

[@MetaView7]

The 4-year election cycle is coming to EOL. It was a great idea, but it has run its course. We cannot stay in kindergarten all our life. We need to grow up. We need to have bigger visions. We need to make long-term plans for our future and for our children. We need to put away the partisan crap and return the focus to the country, not party politics.

[@etow8034]

Copper is so precious and scarce today that most of your electrical wires today are no longer even made out of it ! Chinese wire manufacturers introduced copper clad steel coax cables and aluminum CAT5e network cables to save on copper usage ! Even the copper penny is no longer made out of copper, but steel instead !

[@Rubicon365]

Same as us in ASEAN. We do not trust US (except Philippines). All talk for the cameras and no concrete actions. The Chinese get things done. Pure and simple.

[@jameshack485]

That's America for ya, left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing. Copper reserves aren't the right number to look at. It's the quality of the reserves and cost of mining them.

[@_seola_]

Puerto de Chancay in Peru first stage opening soon, it's a mega port 60% Cosco, and 40% Peruvian company, with deep waters, it can accommodate the BIGGEST ship and yea, all the exports of Brazil when using this port, will cut the travel time to Asia by 15 days, it's gonna be a big win for Peru and the rest of South America. And this port is going to be 100% automated with the latest tech like the ones in China!

[@cool-eye3674]

Western business ask: is it good for our next quarter figure? Chinese business ask: is there a chance to profit in 10 years?

[@qake2021]

✌️✌️✌️✌️✌️

[@LaBambaCL]

4:10 you forgot to assign OTHER 23% 😉

[@luqmanbello2343]

I don't get it. Why $61B to defeat the Russian?

[@JohnLee-]

It is not the amount of money ? Where are you going to buy the weapons ? Air defend ?

[@yunko9369]

Because the money is going back to the MIC!

[@brianliew5901]

Biden: Nothing for me? You won't like me when I'm angry, you know. 😡🤑🤑🤑🤑

[@TheMarcuslindberg]

US is over regulated when it comes to mining and refinement. It adds to much cost, making the US non competitive. It is no surprise the Japanese could buy US steel production.

[@TRAVELYIP]

There’re too many things on earth that USA wants to get.

[@bassamsaeed5950]

Investing in US is difficult due to high cost, berucrarcy, and instability. In addition Corporations and Wallstreet prefer the easy fast return ,it doesn't matter where the product made as long as the wealthy investors make thier money. And they know they own the US government and legislators. US people still afford to live because government keeps printing e-money.

[@livelirah9109]

❤❤

[@chopinmack5418]

Serbia President got Red-carpet welcome when he come to China . Serbia President got a small chair sitting in front of Trump when he come to the US . Most small countries are “afraid” of the US !

[@newaulk]

The US has Australia, Poland, Canada on their corner. That's 15% of global reserves. Plus the US' own 5%.

[@mistermood4164]

Australia mines are mostly Chinese owned

[@wongcy713]

​@@mistermood4164Those will be nationalised when needs be or China force to sell out on ground of national security - like Tik Tok.

[@huntermad5668]

A lot of Canada's mines are Chinese own too

[@user-mhgu6om9mj2t]

U$ is an Idiocracy. 😂 a pure gangster with no moral bounds🤡

[@Kukaboora]

US is a free enterprise society. Government does not make investments in private sector. The spendings are probably in infrastructure such as roads, power grids so that mines can operate.

[@rap3208]

Government does not make investments in private sector...until they bail them out. Would have been much wiser to invest in select industries to bolster them instead of wasting money trying to save them when they go under.

[@yeapsoon3115]

💝💝💝

[@yohaneschristianp]

Why don’t they embrace their own domestic industries? Stop depending on the Wall Street, the workers are the real heroes of the USA even back then! Improve their education and provide simple enough life for them to thrive and multiply.

[@multiplierfx6429]

Don't have enough copper? Just do more of those "positive thinking". That's how Americans solve their problems right? And somehow everything is alright and US magically gets all the copper it wants. Sure. 🤣🤣🤣

[@gsismaet5385]

Interesting. The murcans will pressure weak countries to sell cheap and be paid in usd. Win-win for usa. Poverty for sellers

[@Novideos00]

Australia at 11% will supply the US. It is usually obsequious to the US. When it’s Labour it is less obsequious when it’s the liberal coalition it’s much more obsequious.

[@gabrielbahat9107]

Is this connected on attempts to throw out the Congolese 🇨🇩 president!? Recently!!!!!!

[@JohnPap21]

1:20 at least we now know why USA tried yesterday to stage a coup in Congo

[@pugster73]

I thought there's a copper mine in afghanistan too?

[@kasikwagoma6740]

I am a Zambian and if my government gives the licence yo America I will pray very hard for gods curse upon them. America is our permanent enemy. China built the tazara railway for Zambia years do I like and respect China.