Route intelligence

The routes that move Copper: refined, unwrought, cathodes and sections of cathodes

A sharper view of the exporter-to-importer lanes behind the product. Start with the routes that matter most, then compare growth, access, and emerging signals.

Leading corridorDemocratic Republic of the Congo China$10.8B latest reported trade
Top five concentration138.6%share of the displayed product total
Latest reported year2024100 tracked route records
Market pulseReported movementproduct-level direction
Growth lanes66corridors with positive 3-year growth
Access coverage53routes with reported FTA context
View statusReportedderived route comparison

The corridor workbench

Where the product actually moves

Ranked by the latest reported trade value. Use growth and access together; a large lane is not automatically an easy lane.

Top 100 corridorsLatest reported value
RankRouteTrade value3-year growthShareAccessSignal
01
Democratic Republic of the Congo ChinaCOD / CHN
$10.8B+33.6%35.8%No FTA reportedAccelerating
02
Chile USA, Puerto Rico and US Virgin IslandsCHL / USA
$5.9B-0.9%71.7%FTA reportedAccelerating
03
Chile ChinaCHL / CHN
$4.7B-10.1%15.7%FTA reportedGrowing
04
Kazakhstan ChinaKAZ / CHN
$2.5B+3.1%8.4%No FTA reportedAccelerating
05
Japan ChinaJPN / CHN
$2.1B+6.2%7%No FTA reportedAccelerating
06
Chile BrazilCHL / BRA
$2.1B+4.3%82.1%FTA reportedGrowing
07
Congo, Rep. of the United Arab EmiratesCOG / ARE
$2.1B+12%61.1%No FTA reportedAccelerating
08
Russia ChinaRUS / CHN
$2.0B-8.4%6.6%No FTA reportedGrowing
09
Democratic Republic of the Congo United Rep. of TanzaniaCOD / TZA
$1.9B+3.5%99.6%No FTA reportedAccelerating
10
China TaiwanCHN / TWN
$1.8B+47.6%37.8%No FTA reportedAccelerating
11
Japan IndiaJPN / IND
$1.7B+19.4%74.7%FTA reportedAccelerating
12
Australia ChinaAUS / CHN
$1.4B-0.7%4.5%FTA reportedGrowing
13
Canada USA, Puerto Rico and US Virgin IslandsCAN / USA
$1.3B+0.1%15.7%FTA reportedStable
14
USA, Puerto Rico and US Virgin Islands MexicoUSA / MEX
$1.3B+9.6%76%FTA reportedAccelerating
15
Japan TaiwanJPN / TWN
$1.2B+12.1%25.7%No FTA reportedGrowing
16
Democratic Republic of the Congo China, Hong Kong Special Administrative RegionCOD / HKG
$1.2B+26.6%97.6%No FTA reportedGrowing
17
Kazakhstan TurkeyKAZ / TUR
$1.2B+16.1%39.1%No FTA reportedAccelerating
18
Democratic Republic of the Congo United Arab EmiratesCOD / ARE
$1.1B+11.4%32.7%No FTA reportedAccelerating
19
Democratic Republic of the Congo SingaporeCOD / SGP
$1.1B-2.9%82.1%No FTA reportedAccelerating
20
Republic of Korea ChinaKOR / CHN
$1.1B-17.9%3.5%FTA reportedGrowing
21
Chile Republic of KoreaCHL / KOR
$1.1B-15.6%42%FTA reportedGrowing
22
Peru ChinaPER / CHN
$925.4M-10.8%3.1%FTA reportedGrowing
23
Bulgaria ItalyBGR / ITA
$877.1M+53.5%19.5%FTA reportedAccelerating
24
Zambia Switzerland, LiechtensteinZMB / CHE
$864.2M-12%52.5%No FTA reportedGrowing
25
Chile FranceCHL / FRA
$831.0M+2.4%59.7%FTA reportedStable

Movement to watch

Growth leaders and emerging lanes

The strongest growth rates are a starting point for investigation, not a forecast. Check the underlying value and route conditions.

01

Growth leader

Chile Sweden

+1,416.9%3-year CAGR

$241.6M latest value · 22.9% share

02

Growth leader

Congo, Rep. of the Saudi Arabia

+996.6%3-year CAGR

$378.2M latest value · 57.2% share

03

Growth leader

Morocco China

+887.7%3-year CAGR

$211.3M latest value · 0.7% share

04

Growth leader

Finland Sweden

+449.5%3-year CAGR

$224.3M latest value · 21.2% share

Emerging signals

Routes changing shape

These corridors carry a reported signal or a non-routine attention label in the available route context.

AcceleratingDemocratic Republic of the Congo China+33.6%
AcceleratingChile USA, Puerto Rico and US Virgin Islands-0.9%
GrowingChile China-10.1%
AcceleratingKazakhstan China+3.1%

Access comparison

Does preferential access show up in the route mix?

Compare the value and growth of corridors with a reported free-trade agreement indicator against corridors without one. This is context for research, not a tariff recommendation.

Read the methodology
FTA reported$38.7B
53 corridors · +39.4% average growth
No FTA reported$42.1B
47 corridors · +82.4% average growth
Access fields are shown only where reported context is available.

How to read this view

Scale, momentum, and access belong in the same frame.

Trade value identifies the routes with the largest observed footprint. Growth shows how that footprint has changed over the available three-year comparison. Share indicates the route's position within the displayed product view.

Distance, FTA status, volatility, and signals add context from supporting bilateral datasets. Missing values are not filled or treated as zero.

Data source

OECD trade statistics with CEPII context

OECD (2025), Balanced international merchandise trade statistics (BIMTS) - HS2017-6D, OECD Data Explorer (accessed on 2026-08-27). OECD BIMTS is the primary trade series for this view. Supporting bilateral trade context uses CEPII BACI bilateral trade flows (202601) under Etalab 2.0 Open Licence. Yugalinks presents derived views of reported observations and calculated indicators. Data terms: OECD Terms & Conditions.