16 August 2024 – London – Earth-i‘s SAVANT copper database measures global copper smelter activity, production and capacity using sophisticated satellite technology and earth observation computer vision techniques. The database is continually reviewed and updated to ensure the comprehensive and accurate nature of its data. As a result, SAVANT continues to be one of the leading and granular industry datasets on the global copper smelting industry and accurately monitors the changes in behaviour of the global copper smelting market.
SAVANT’s data is approaching nine years old in 2024 and this year we have undertaken what is the third major release to further enhance the activity and production data that is available to our customers.
As part of the review process, we have reviewed all copper smelters based on the latest updates in the ICSG Directory of Copper Mines, Smelters and Refineries, operator company reports, industry news articles and public data sources, as well as our own geospatial analysis at each site.
SAVANT continues to measure and track over 95% of the global copper production capacity. In addition, SAVANT also monitors non-operational sites that are currently inactive for maintenance, or being relocated, or under construction. These locations are not included within the SAVANT activity, production and capacity indices until they become operational.
The chart below shows how SAVANT’s coverage of the global copper production capacity has increased over the years.
Figure 1 Copper Capacity in SAVANT from 2016 to the present date
The 2024 major update focusses on two core areas:
- Addition of new copper smelters coming online
- Updates on existing copper smelters
Updates on existing copper smelters
A number of sites within the original SAVANT database have increased their operational capacities, including Feishang and Fubang in China. These have added 822 capacity (kt/a).
A small number of sites have been relocated and now operational —such as the Yanti Guoxing smelter—and detail of these have been updated in the new SAVANT update. Similarly, some sites have been restructured—for example, from using one to two furnaces—and this capacity change is now reflected.
In addition to the above, SAVANT has reviewed a number of sites—including Yimen in China—to more accurately reflect their published activity.
Capacity changes to 13 sites have been made based on ICSG figures and open data sources—such as China’s Chifeng plant.
All these changes that are now integrated into the SAVANT dataset.
Finally, we have made a change so that data for the individual furnaces of the Guixi plant in China can now be monitored separately in the SAVANT platform.
Addition of New Copper Smelters
We have added eight new sites to SAVANT – including Kamoa-Kakula in the Congo and Indonesia’s Manyar (Freeport). These have a combined capacity of 1,625 kt/a but are not yet active, so do not contribute to the SAVANT indices. Once they are consistently operating, they will be added to SAVANT activity, production and capacity indices.
Latest SAVANT capacity statistics
As a result of the above changes, the copper activity statistics available via SAVANT are now as follows:
| Capacity (kt/a) | % by capacity | No. smelters | |
| Total Active Capacity known | 24,748 | 100% | 122 |
| Active Capacity in SAVANT Indices | 22,856 | 92.4% | 102 |
| Active Capacity in SAVANT but excluded from the indices | 562 | 2.3% | 4 |
| Smelters being monitored pre-commissioning | 2,005 | N/A | 7 |
| Smelters monitored that have shutdown | 480 | N/A | 4 |
A more detailed note of all the changes made to SAVANT has been issued to customers.
As ever, the SAVANT product team have already started work on the 4th major SAVANT Copper release due in early 2025.If you would like to find out more about SAVANT and how you can subscribe, please email savant@earthi.space or call +44 (0)333 433 0015.
About SAVANT:
Earth-i’s SAVANT platform monitors up to 95% of the smelting capacity for copper and nickel around the globe and provides indicators of smelter activity and production around the globe, in an easy-to-understand format, covering multiple metals and minerals.
Data is collected and analysed using advanced algorithms derived from Computer Vision and Machine Learning techniques. Data is taken from several different Earth Observation satellites and our global and regional indices are updated daily to give consistent, insightful and dependable results.
Activity is scientifically measured using a consistent methodology. Over eight years of historical data is available.
About Earth-i:
Earth-i is a geospatial intelligence company using machine learning, artificial intelligence and Earth Observation data to provide unique and relevant insights, derived from diverse geospatial data, that deliver clear decision advantage for businesses, governments and other organisations.
Earth-i provides advanced analytics using automated interpretation of a range of geospatial Earth Observation data sources including colour imagery, colour video, infra-red and radar from a range of sources including satellite, drone, aerial and ground-based sensors. This data is fused with additional data sources to extract factual understanding and generate predictive insights across a range of markets such as commodities, supply chain, agriculture, infrastructure and defence.
