2025 Annual Report

ICA's strategic shift to featuring copper’s role in sustainable human development positioned copper as the material of choice member companies as enablers of sustainable progress. The flagship video "The Copper Story" earned triple platinum dotCOMM awards for Video Inspiration, Video Direction, and Video Writing while the follow-up production "Copper: The Human Element" extended the narrative into 2026. Launched at the Industry Leaders Forum, the campaign introduced the cathode as the "Unit of Progress," creating a tangible symbol connecting copper production to measurable improvements in global quality of life. This messaging resonated powerfully with civil society and external stakeholders, driving ICA's LinkedIn following past 20,000 (a 23% increase) and generating 15.85 million website impressions with a 56% engagement rate—all achieved through organic reach without paid advertising. By reframing copper's value proposition around human outcomes rather than technical specifications, ICA elevated member companies' reputations as essential contributors to the energy transition, electrification, and sustainable development.

ICA launched an integrated suite of brand initiatives that enhanced member visibility with audiences that matter. New communication tools included a redesigned brand newsletter, which improved open rates by more than 20% year-over-year reaching 195% higher open rates and a 12 times higher engagement rate than comparative benchmarks. To reach member executives and councils, ICA also launched a dedicated microsite showcasing ICA's impact along key verticals, refreshed branded materials for member use, and a redesigned annual report reflecting the organization's evolved strategic direction. To make ICA’s exclusive knowledge more accessible to members, ICA began work on Agent 29, an interactive AI application trained on ICA’s proprietary knowledge, alongside Copper College, an educational certification program designed to build industry and market knowledge among member employees. A new video series featuring a hero brand video, member testimonial videos, and highlight reels provided ready-to-deploy content available to members to utilize in their own communications channels and that were deployed at major industry events throughout the year positioning ICA as the voice of copper, targeting organizational growth initiatives and positioning ICA members as responsible modern producers. These investments in brand infrastructure delivered tangible benefits to member companies by providing professional-grade materials that individual organizations could leverage to tell their own copper stories, amplifying the collective voice of the industry while reducing individual member communication costs. 

ICA’s comprehensive events program connected members with key stakeholders across mining, manufacturing, finance, and policy sectors. Signature initiatives included the inaugural ICA Day at CESCO Week, ICA’s Industry Leaders Forum, and ICA Day at Asia Copper Week, creating branded platforms within major industry gatherings that elevated member visibility. The ICA and CDA Spring Meetings coincided with NYC Copper Club Week, while the Industry Leaders Forum at LME Week brought CEOs and senior executives together for strategic dialogue. Traditional governance events—the Annual Board Dinner, Annual Operating Committee Dinner, and Annual Meeting of Members—were complemented by Market Intelligence Briefings that equipped members with actionable market insights. Beyond ICA-hosted programming, we told the copper story at critical events around the world, such as the German-Chilean Forum for Mining and Mineral Resources in Germany, CNIA London Forum in the UK, Colorado School of Mines in the U.S., Siemens Energy Talks and Expomin in Chile, the XXXVI Convención Internacional de Minería in Mexico, COP30 in Brazil, the Conference of Mining Ministries of the Americas and PDAC in Canada, and Resourcing Tomorrow in the UK. This extensive event footprint ensured ICA members had consistent access to decision-makers, emerging trends, exclusive market intelligence and critical industry conversations. 

As part of our strategic mandate, ICA’s Strategic Communication’s program sought to re-establish ICA’s presence in Spanish-language media, beginning in Chile given its strategic importance as the world’s largest copper-producing country. We had a 79% increase in media mentions year-over-year while securing prominent placement in tier-one Spanish-language publications and specialized mining outlets. This effort will be replicated in other key countries, including Peru, Argentina, and Mexico.   
 
ICA launched "The Magic of Copper," a traveling immersive and experiential exhibition for children ages 6-12 that brings copper's applications to life through virtual reality experiences, interactive digital games, and hands-on educational activities. The exhibition demonstrates how the copper industry contributes to human development, energy access, health technology, and sustainability in formats designed to inspire the next generation. The first phase of the project connected with 6,800 students in 20+ schools across 13 municipalities.