Trump Reverses Copper Smelter Pollution Rule to Boost U.S. Industry

In a move that has sparked debate across environmental and industrial circles, U.S. President Donald Trump announced a rollback of a stringent air pollution rule targeting copper smelters. The rule, originally finalized in May 2024 under the Biden administration, required smelters to limit emissions of hazardous substances such as lead, arsenic, mercury, benzene, and dioxins.

Trump’s proclamation provides a two-year exemption from compliance for affected facilities, a step the administration says will protect domestic copper production and promote national mineral security. According to the White House, imposing the original limits could have forced further closures in an already strained industry, potentially undermining U.S. industrial capacity and increasing reliance on foreign copper processing.

The policy change directly affects the only two copper smelters in the U.S., operated by Freeport-McMoRan and Rio Tinto. While the exemption explicitly applies to Freeport’s facility, the implications for Rio Tinto’s plant remain unclear. Neither company has issued a public response so far.

Copper has gained strategic importance under Trump’s administration. Earlier this year, the president designated copper as a critical material essential for defense, infrastructure, and emerging technologies like electric vehicles and clean energy systems. This classification triggered a Section 232 investigation into whether U.S. reliance on imported copper poses a threat to national security. The review led to the imposition of a 50% tariff on certain imported copper and a mandate that a growing portion of domestically produced high-quality scrap copper be sold within the U.S.

Industry analysts note that the rollback may offer short-term relief to domestic producers but raises questions about environmental impacts. With copper demand rising globally, balancing industrial growth with sustainable practices remains a key challenge.

The two-year exemption gives companies breathing space to adjust operations without immediate regulatory pressure, while the government continues to emphasize domestic production as a pillar of economic and strategic resilience.