At the Future Minerals Forum, International Copper Association (ICA) CEO Juan Ignacio Diaz participated in the panel discussion, “Let us be known by our deeds: How to scale up transparency and responsible mineral supply?”
The panel brought together global leaders from across the mining and critical minerals ecosystem, including representatives from the London Metal Exchange, Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, Global Battery Alliance, OECD, and the Minerals Commission of Ghana.
Discussions focused on the future of responsible copper production and the challenges facing the industry as global demand for copper continues to accelerate. Participants emphasized that the key question is no longer whether copper will be needed, but how it can be produced responsibly and at the scale required to support the energy transition.
During the session, Juan Ignacio highlighted the significant transformation of the copper industry over recent decades, noting advances in technology, environmental stewardship, renewable energy integration, water management, community engagement, and social contribution.
He also emphasized that while challenges remain, the industry is actively addressing them through innovation, sustainability, and investment in increasingly carbon-neutral operations. Demand for responsible, low-emissions, and circular materials is being driven not only by producers, but also by investors, manufacturers, OEMs, and end users across global supply chains.
The discussion reinforced copper’s essential role in enabling electrification, renewable energy, electric vehicles, and digitalization, while highlighting the durability and circularity of the material — with most of the copper ever produced still in productive use today.
A key takeaway from the panel was that the copper industry is not only extractive, but transformative, helping build the infrastructure necessary for a more sustainable and connected future.
