Global demand for copper has almost doubled in the last twenty-five years: While in 1980 more than nine million tonnes of copper were produced and processed, today some 19 million tonnes of copper are produced and processed annually.

After raw materials had not been attributed much significance in the ‘90s, a raw material boom developed in 2004. Prices of industrial metals, including first and foremost copper, rose substantially. This was triggered off by the low production output and strong demand in China and India. Asia became the central growth region for copper. With an annual copper demand of about 3.5 million tonnes, China alone meanwhile accounts for about 21 % of global demand.

In Europe more than 4 million tonnes, i.e. almost 25 % of global copper output, is processed annually into products. This corresponds to an annual per capita demand of more than 9 kg. Aurubis as the largest copper producer in Europe covers a significant part of this demand.