In 2018, the global tailings production from copper mining reached **** billion metric tons, up from **** billion metric tons in 2016. Copper tailings production has been steadily increasing since the beginning of the *****.
The source notes that there is not an exact way to know how much tailings are being produced yearly worldwide.
This estimate assumes no adjustment to cut-off grade and no changes in overall production levels.
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ICMM. (September 22, 2022). Annual tailings production from copper mining worldwide from 2010 to 2018 (in million metric tons) [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved July 15, 2025, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/1353344/global-annual-tailings-production-from-copper-mining/
ICMM. "Annual tailings production from copper mining worldwide from 2010 to 2018 (in million metric tons)." Chart. September 22, 2022. Statista. Accessed July 15, 2025. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1353344/global-annual-tailings-production-from-copper-mining/
ICMM. (2022). Annual tailings production from copper mining worldwide from 2010 to 2018 (in million metric tons). Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: July 15, 2025. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1353344/global-annual-tailings-production-from-copper-mining/
ICMM. "Annual Tailings Production from Copper Mining Worldwide from 2010 to 2018 (in Million Metric Tons)." Statista, Statista Inc., 22 Sep 2022, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1353344/global-annual-tailings-production-from-copper-mining/
ICMM, Annual tailings production from copper mining worldwide from 2010 to 2018 (in million metric tons) Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1353344/global-annual-tailings-production-from-copper-mining/ (last visited July 15, 2025)
Annual tailings production from copper mining worldwide from 2010 to 2018 (in million metric tons) [Graph], ICMM, September 22, 2022. [Online]. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1353344/global-annual-tailings-production-from-copper-mining/
