Mining giant BHP Billiton's copper business profit contribution surpasses that of iron ore.

The global increase in electricity usage of artificial intelligence data centers, as well as the transition to cleaner energy sources, are driving mining giants to compete for key copper mining assets. Players with substantial assets have already made huge profits. On February 17th local time, the world's largest copper mining company, BHP, announced its performance for the first half of the 2026 fiscal year. The financial report shows that driven by demand from artificial intelligence, copper prices have soared, making copper the largest contributor to BHP's profits for the first time, surpassing iron ore. The company's first half basic profits exceeded expectations, mainly due to the rise in copper prices.