U.S. President Donald Trump recently met with the chief executives of global mining giants Rio Tinto and BHP at the White House to discuss the Resolution Copper project in Arizona. If developed, the project could supply 25% of the nation’s copper demand for the next 40 years, though it has faced renewed delays due to a recent court ruling.
Market data shows that copper futures on the London Metal Exchange have risen approximately 11% year-to-date, recently trading above $9,708 per ton, after setting a record high above $11,000 last year.
Rio Tinto’s CEO Jakob Stausholm, his incoming successor Simon Trott, and BHP’s CEO Mike Henry attended the meeting with Trump. Following the discussion, Trump took to social media to criticize the court’s decision to delay the land swap approval essential for the project, emphasizing the urgent need to boost domestic copper production. For decades, the project has been hindered by permitting processes, environmental disputes, and litigation.
The Trump administration has prioritized revitalizing domestic metals and minerals production, particularly copper, which is critical for both the energy transition and traditional industrial uses. Earlier this year, the U.S. imposed tariffs on a range of copper products (excluding refined copper), and this meeting further underscored Trump’s push for greater domestic resource development.
Stausholm stated that they discussed Rio Tinto’s key role in securing U.S. copper and critical mineral supplies with President Trump, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, and other officials. The talks focused on the industry’s capacity to achieve long-term domestic supply.
Despite high-level political support, developing a mega-mine in the U.S. remains challenging. According to S&P Global, the average time from discovery to commercial production for a mine in the U.S. is 29 years—the longest timeline of any country except Zambia. Most shallow mineral deposits, including those overlying the Resolution orebody, were depleted in the 20th century. Current extraction requires reaching extreme depths under high-temperature conditions, introducing technical complexities that escalate costs.
Estimates indicate that the Resolution deposit holds over 1.6–1.7 billion tonnes of ore at a grade of approximately 1.5% copper, making it one of the world’s most significant undeveloped copper resources. If approved and constructed, the mine could yield 40 billion pounds of copper over a 40-year operational lifespan, positioning it to become the largest single copper mine in North America. Rio Tinto stated that once operational, Resolution could meet 25% of annual U.S. copper demand for four decades.
However, industry analysts note that the project is approaching a “now or never” decision point.
With expanding renewable energy technologies, electric vehicles, and advanced electronics, copper’s role as a critical mineral has become increasingly strategic. To reduce dependency on imported minerals and strengthen supply chain resilience, the U.S. is actively promoting domestic copper resource development. The Resolution project promises to create thousands of jobs, stimulate economic growth in Arizona, and represents a significant opportunity to achieve these national strategic goals.
