South Australia’s copper industry has hit another record, with the state’s exports soaring to $5.57 billion as Adelaide continues to be a global hub for the booming sector.
The latest figure, released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics, covers the 12 months to July 2026 and comes just weeks after South Australia recorded $5.3 billion in copper exports for the 2025–26 financial year.
The record result also arrives hot on the heels of Copper to the World, which brought more than 600 miners, explorers, investors and industry leaders from around the globe to Adelaide last week.
The annual two-day conference put South Australia’s copper potential firmly in the international spotlight, with the state home to around two-thirds of Australia’s known copper resources.
While BHP’s established copper operations in the state’s Far North continue to attract global attention, the conference also showcased a new generation of exploration and development projects across South Australia.
Companies including Sandfire Resources, Rex Minerals, Discover Co and Havilah Resources were among those highlighting the state’s geological potential and emerging copper opportunities.
For Cobra Resources CEO and Managing Director Rupert Verco, South Australia’s geological data is one of the reasons the state is such an attractive place to explore.
Speaking at Copper to the World, Rupert, whose company is advancing the Manna Hill copper project in the Nackara Arc, said South Australia had “excellent geological survey and unrivalled pre-competitive data that will help accelerate the next copper discovery.”
The latest export figures suggest that copper is already delivering significant economic value to the state, rather than simply representing a future opportunity.
Energy and Mining Minister Tom Koutsantonis said, “Another record in copper exports is a powerful signal that South Australia’s copper story is not just about future potential – it is delivering for our economy right now.
“To reach $5.57 billion in 12 months of copper exports is an outstanding result – it underlines the strength of our resources sector and the scale of the opportunity in front of us.
“Global demand for copper is accelerating, and South Australia is already playing a major role in meeting that demand.”
The state has a long history with the metal, with copper mining dating back to the 19th century and South Australia once known as the “Copper Kingdom”.
Today, Olympic Dam remains one of the world’s major copper operations, while explorers are continuing to search for new deposits across the state.
Koutsantonis said South Australia could be on the verge of another major chapter for the industry.
“South Australia is on the cusp of another generational advance, with the state’s leading geological science opening up a new wave of copper opportunities,” said Koutsantonis.
“The enthusiasm we saw at Copper to the World reflects growing global confidence in South Australia’s copper future and the untapped deposits still to be uncovered.”
With another export record now on the books, South Australia’s copper story is looking increasingly like one that is already being written, not just one waiting for the next big discovery.
