Trump Signs Exemptions from US Copper Rule to Bolster Domestic Industry

President Donald Trump on Friday signed a proclamation granting temporary regulatory exemptions to certain fixed copper sources, a move aimed at strengthening U.S. mineral security and supporting the revival of the nation’s copper industry.

According to a statement from the White House, the exemptions will allow select facilities covered by the U.S. Copper Rule to delay compliance with emissions standards for two years from the date they become subject to the regulation.

The administration said the decision seeks to ease what it described as “undue burdens” on the few remaining domestic copper smelters, which have faced escalating costs under new federal emissions requirements. These standards mandate the use of advanced pollution-control technologies that the White House argues are not yet commercially available or economically viable.

“The rule imposes a uniform compliance timeline that fails to account for the operational and technical limitations of this aging industrial sector,” the statement noted. Only a handful of major copper smelters remain active in the U.S. as of 2024, raising concerns about the nation’s shrinking industrial base and dependence on foreign processing.

Trump’s directive emphasizes that maintaining domestic smelting capacity is “vital to ensure access to critical minerals during times of crisis,” framing the exemptions as a national security measure. The administration contends that further closures in the sector would weaken the U.S. industrial base and deepen reliance on overseas suppliers, particularly in strategic materials.

The policy shift comes amid a renewed push by Washington to reinvigorate local copper production, part of a broader strategy to reduce trade deficits and promote job creation in heavy industry. The move also aligns with Trump’s broader “America First” industrial agenda, which favors tariffs and regulatory relief to bolster domestic manufacturing.

Meanwhile, global copper prices have surged above $10,000 per metric ton in recent weeks, driven by accelerating demand for clean-energy technologies and supply disruptions in major producing countries. On the London Metal Exchange (LME), copper recently traded near $10,700 per ton, while on New York’s COMEX, futures hovered between $5.00 and $5.11 per pound amid expectations of continued volatility.

Economists say the metal, often dubbed “Dr. Copper” for its sensitivity to industrial activity, has reemerged as a barometer of global economic health. The U.S. move to protect its limited domestic capacity, they note, underscores how strategic the red metal has become in the geopolitical contest over resources critical to the energy transition.