Copper stocks are publicly traded companies that mine copper. These companies will be the key beneficiaries of growing copper demand in the coming decades. Demand for copper is on track to surge 70% by 2050, according to an estimate by leading global miner BHP Group (BHP +6.42%), driven in part by the need for copper in AI data centers.
Other key drivers are the vital role copper plays in supporting the electrification of the transportation sector and producing renewable energy. For example, electric vehicles use four times as much copper as traditional cars. Meanwhile, a wind turbine consumes 3 metric tons of copper per megawatt of power produced.
This outlook bodes well for the copper industry. It suggests that copper prices could be much higher in the coming years. Here's a closer look at some of the top copper stocks that could benefit from the transition.
Top copper stocks to buy in 2026
Copper is the third-most-consumed industrial metal in the world behind iron ore and aluminum, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. Because of its importance to the economy, many mining companies operate copper mines.
However, while many companies produce copper, only a few can expand their production through reserves and commercially viable expansion projects. These resources position them to capitalize on the industry's growth. Top copper stocks include:
| Name and ticker | Market cap | Current price | Dividend yield |
|---|---|---|---|
| BHP Group (NYSE:BHP) | $214.2 billion | $84.33 | 3.15% |
| Freeport-McMoRan (NYSE:FCX) | $87.5 billion | $60.89 | 0.49% |
| Rio Tinto Group (NYSE:RIO) | $132.4 billion | $105.54 | 3.81% |
| Teck Resources (NYSE:TECK) | $30.3 billion | $62.01 | 0.59% |
| Southern Copper (NYSE:SCCO) | $151.9 billion | $183.91 | 1.46% |
Here's a closer look at these five leading copper stocks.
1. BHP Group
NYSE: BHP
Key Data Points
BHP Group (BHP +6.42%) is an Australia-based leading global natural resource producer that mines copper, iron ore, nickel, metallurgical coal, and potash.
BHP operates several copper mines in South America (including the world's largest copper mine, Escondida) and one in Australia. The company expects to produce between 1.8 million and 2 million tons of copper in 2026. It's investing heavily to expand copper production at existing mines to meet growing demand.
It's also a co-owner of Resolution Copper with Rio Tinto (45%/55%). Located in Arizona, Resolution Copper is among the world's largest undeveloped copper projects. It could take eight to 10 years to build the mine at an estimated total cost of $64 billion. It could produce 40 billion pounds of copper over 40 years, about a quarter of projected U.S. copper demand.
In October 2025, the company announced plans to invest over $550 million to expand its Olympic Dam operations in Australia. This investment sets the stage for an even bigger expansion that could double its output by the mid-2030s, with approval on track for the middle of 2027. BHP plans to grow its copper-equivalent production at a 3% to 4% annual rate through 2035.
The company's growing copper production should support higher dividend payments. BHP aims for a minimum dividend payout ratio of 50% of its cash flow. It often pays out additional dividends from its excess cash and repurchases shares.
2. Freeport-McMoRan
NYSE: FCX
Key Data Points
Cash Flow
3. Teck Resources
NYSE: TECK
Key Data Points
4. Southern Copper
NYSE: SCCO
Key Data Points
5. Rio Tinto
NYSE: RIO
Key Data Points
Rio Tinto (RIO +4.99%) is a diversified global mining company based in the U.K. It produces aluminum, copper, diamonds, gold, industrial minerals, iron ore, and uranium. It also produces other basic materials, including borates, lithium, salt, and titanium dioxide.
The company's copper business consists of two large-scale mining operations:
- Rio Tinto operates the Kennecott mine in Utah. The world-class copper mine also produces silver and gold.
- The company has a 66% interest in Oyu Tolgoi, a copper and gold deposit in Mongolia, one of the largest known deposits in the world. By 2030, Oyu Tolgoi should be the world's fourth-largest copper-producing mine.
Rio Tinto has several copper-related growth projects in the pipeline, including Resolution Copper in the U.S. and Winu in Australia. Discovered in 2017, the Winu copper and gold resource has the potential to become a large-scale mining operation. In 2025, Rio Tinto signed an agreement with Sumitomo Metal Mining to jointly develop its Winu copper-gold project. Meanwhile, Rio Tinto and BHP Group expect to open the Resolution Copper mine by the mid-2030s.
In early 2026, Rio Tinto was evaluating an acquisition of rival miner Glencore. A deal would create the world's largest mining company. Glencore is the world's fourth-largest copper miner and a producer of cobalt, coal, nickel, and zinc. While discussions ended in February without a deal due to valuation disagreements, Glencore is optimistic that the companies could have another opportunity to reach an agreement in the future.
Even without Glencore, Rio Tinto's growing copper production should enable it to continue paying attractive dividends. The company aims to return 40% to 60% of its earnings to investors via dividends each year.
How to buy copper stocks
Here's a step-by-step guide on how to invest in copper stocks:
- Open your brokerage app: Log in to your brokerage account where you handle your investments.
- Search for the stock: Enter the ticker or company name into the search bar to bring up the stock's trading page.
- Decide how many shares to buy: Consider your investment goals and how much of your portfolio you want to allocate to this stock.
- Select order type: Choose between a market order to buy at the current price or a limit order to specify the maximum price you're willing to pay.
- Submit your order: Confirm the details and submit your buy order.
- Review your purchase: Check your portfolio to ensure your order was filled as expected and adjust your investment strategy accordingly.
Benefits and risks of investing in copper stocks
Some of the benefits of investing in copper stocks include:
- Capitalizing on the expected growth in copper demand.
- The ability to collect passive income from dividends.
- Hedging your portfolio against some of the impacts of inflation.
- The potential for an individual copper stock to outperform the price of copper and other copper stocks.
Meanwhile, some of the risks of investing in copper stocks include:
- Copper price volatility.
- Mining cost overruns.
- Geopolitical issues.
- A copper stock underperforms the price of copper.
Key Trends in the Copper Industry
Copper demand could grow 70% by 2050, according to an estimate by BHP Group. Two main catalysts will drive copper demand in the future: the energy transition and digitalization. The energy transition will see the continued growth in renewable energy and the electrification of everything, including the increased adoption of electric vehicles. Meanwhile, the main driver of copper demand from the digitalization trend will come from data centers. The growth in demand should support additional copper expansion projects by the world's top mining companies, enabling them to boost production and capitalize on higher prices.
Should you invest in copper stocks?
The combination of rising copper production and prices should enable copper miners to increase their cash flows, pay rising dividends, repurchase more shares, and deliver attractive total returns. The upside potential makes the copper industry attractive to investors.
As an alternative to buying one of the top copper mining stocks, investors could consider investing in an exchange-traded fund (ETF) focused on copper. Copper ETFs provide similar upside exposure to rising copper prices. An ETF focused on copper mining stocks is less risky than investing in a single copper mining company, which could underperform for various reasons.
FAQ
Investing in copper stocks: FAQ
About the Author
Matthew DiLallo has positions in BHP Group. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Teck Resources. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
