Copper price history since 1960
Monthly average copper prices since January 1960 in riyals per kilogram and dollars per tonne, summarized by year with an interactive chart.
Highest monthly average
54.28 SAR
SAR per kilogram · September 2026
First value (1960) (1960)
3.22 SAR
equals $715 per tonne
Lowest (January 1961)
2.73 SAR
equals $607 per tonne
Latest month (September 2026)
54.28 SAR
Below the high by 0.0%
Months in series
801
months since January 1960
Copper kilogram price in SAR since 1960
Monthly averages · log scale shows percentage moves evenly across decades · converted to riyals at each period's exchange rate
Copper price by year (SAR per kilogram)
Open = January average, Close = December average (or latest month)| Year | Open | High | Low | Close | Year range | Annual change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | ||||||
| 2026 to date | 48.80 | 54.28 | 46.98 | 54.28 | ▲ 22.8% | |
| 2025 | 33.72 | 44.19 | 33.72 | 44.19 | ▲ 32.1% | |
| 2024 | 31.27 | 38.02 | 31.14 | 33.44 | ▲ 6.2% | |
| 2023 | 33.89 | 33.89 | 29.76 | 31.50 | ▲ 0.3% | |
| 2022 | 36.68 | 38.37 | 28.29 | 31.41 | ▼ 12.3% | |
| 2021 | 29.90 | 38.11 | 29.90 | 35.82 | ▲ 22.9% | |
| 2020 | 22.62 | 29.14 | 18.97 | 29.14 | ▲ 27.9% | |
| 2010s | ||||||
| 2019 | 22.27 | 24.15 | 21.41 | 22.79 | ▲ 0.0% | |
| 2018 | 26.50 | 26.50 | 22.69 | 22.78 | ▼ 11.1% | |
| 2017 | 21.58 | 25.63 | 21.00 | 25.63 | ▲ 20.8% | |
| 2016 | 16.77 | 21.22 | 16.77 | 21.22 | ▲ 22.0% | |
| 2015 | 21.87 | 23.61 | 17.40 | 17.40 | ▼ 28.0% | |
| 2014 | 27.34 | 27.34 | 24.17 | 24.17 | ▼ 10.7% | |
| 2013 | 30.18 | 30.23 | 25.90 | 27.06 | ▼ 9.4% | |
| 2012 | 30.15 | 31.77 | 27.84 | 29.87 | ▲ 5.3% | |
| 2011 | 35.84 | 37.01 | 27.73 | 28.37 | ▼ 17.3% | |
| 2010 | 27.70 | 34.30 | 24.37 | 34.30 | ▲ 31.0% | |
| 2000s | ||||||
| 2009 | 12.08 | 26.18 | 12.08 | 26.18 | ▲ 127.3% | |
| 2008 | 26.48 | 32.57 | 11.52 | 11.52 | ▼ 53.4% | |
| 2007 | 21.26 | 30.03 | 21.26 | 24.70 | ▼ 1.3% | |
| 2006 | 17.75 | 30.17 | 17.75 | 25.03 | ▲ 45.9% | |
| 2005 | 11.89 | 17.16 | 11.89 | 17.16 | ▲ 45.5% | |
| 2004 | 9.09 | 11.79 | 9.09 | 11.79 | ▲ 42.9% | |
| 2003 | 6.18 | 8.25 | 5.95 | 8.25 | ▲ 38.0% | |
| 2002 | 5.64 | 6.18 | 5.55 | 5.98 | ▲ 8.3% | |
| 2001 | 6.70 | 6.70 | 5.16 | 5.52 | ▼ 20.5% | |
| 2000 | 6.92 | 7.35 | 6.30 | 6.94 | ▲ 4.8% | |
| 1990s | ||||||
| 1999 | 5.37 | 6.62 | 5.17 | 6.62 | ▲ 19.7% | |
| 1998 | 6.33 | 6.75 | 5.53 | 5.53 | ▼ 16.3% | |
| 1997 | 9.13 | 9.80 | 6.61 | 6.61 | ▼ 22.3% | |
| 1996 | 9.81 | 9.97 | 7.28 | 8.51 | ▼ 22.4% | |
| 1995 | 11.28 | 11.54 | 10.40 | 10.97 | ▼ 2.0% | |
| 1994 | 6.77 | 11.19 | 6.77 | 11.19 | ▲ 73.2% | |
| 1993 | 8.46 | 8.46 | 6.11 | 6.46 | ▼ 22.0% | |
| 1992 | 8.02 | 9.46 | 8.02 | 8.28 | ▼ 0.7% | |
| 1991 | 9.18 | 9.27 | 8.32 | 8.34 | ▼ 10.5% | |
| 1990 | 8.88 | 11.37 | 8.85 | 9.32 | ▲ 2.8% | |
| 1980s | ||||||
| 1989 | 12.73 | 12.73 | 9.07 | 9.07 | ▼ 30.9% | |
| 1988 | 9.99 | 13.12 | 8.25 | 13.12 | ▲ 21.9% | |
| 1987 | 5.05 | 10.76 | 5.05 | 10.76 | ▲ 117.4% | |
| 1986 | 5.26 | 5.36 | 4.83 | 4.95 | ▼ 1.8% | |
| 1985 | 4.92 | 5.55 | 4.92 | 5.04 | ▲ 8.4% | |
| 1984 | 4.85 | 5.40 | 4.49 | 4.65 | ▼ 4.9% | |
| 1983 | 5.43 | 6.10 | 4.80 | 4.89 | ▼ 3.2% | |
| 1982 | 5.52 | 5.52 | 4.46 | 5.05 | ▼ 9.8% | |
| 1981 | 6.32 | 6.32 | 5.58 | 5.60 | ▼ 10.4% | |
| 1980 | 8.65 | 9.71 | 6.25 | 6.25 | ▼ 16.0% | |
| 1970s | ||||||
| 1979 | 5.58 | 7.44 | 5.58 | 7.44 | ▲ 42.8% | |
| 1978 | 4.29 | 5.21 | 4.14 | 5.21 | ▲ 17.1% | |
| 1977 | 4.92 | 5.34 | 4.09 | 4.45 | ▼ 2.0% | |
| 1976 | 4.21 | 5.81 | 4.21 | 4.54 | ▲ 12.1% | |
| 1975 | 4.26 | 4.73 | 4.05 | 4.05 | ▼ 11.6% | |
| 1974 | 7.21 | 10.76 | 4.58 | 4.58 | ▼ 45.0% | |
| 1973 | 4.15 | 8.43 | 4.15 | 8.32 | ▲ 96.2% | |
| 1972 | 4.47 | 4.70 | 3.80 | 4.24 | ▼ 9.0% | |
| 1971 | 4.53 | 5.62 | 4.53 | 4.66 | ▼ 1.1% | |
| 1970 | 7.32 | 7.89 | 4.71 | 4.71 | ▼ 38.4% | |
| 1960s | ||||||
| 1969 | 5.65 | 7.65 | 5.65 | 7.65 | ▲ 43.5% | |
| 1968 | 6.34 | 7.74 | 4.74 | 5.33 | ▼ 10.6% | |
| 1967 | 5.60 | 6.50 | 4.48 | 5.96 | ▲ 9.0% | |
| 1966 | 7.56 | 8.58 | 5.08 | 5.47 | ▼ 19.9% | |
| 1965 | 4.50 | 6.83 | 4.50 | 6.83 | ▲ 19.6% | |
| 1964 | 2.95 | 6.30 | 2.95 | 5.71 | ▲ 94.9% | |
| 1963 | 2.91 | 2.93 | 2.91 | 2.93 | ▲ 0.7% | |
| 1962 | 2.86 | 2.92 | 2.86 | 2.91 | ▲ 1.7% | |
| 1961 | 2.73 | 3.01 | 2.73 | 2.86 | ▼ 0.3% | |
| 1960 | 3.22 | 3.28 | 2.76 | 2.87 | ||
Source: World Bank monthly commodity price data in nominal US dollars, converted to riyals. Values are SAR per gram of 24K gold, SAR per gram of silver, and SAR per kilogram of copper.
Frequently asked questions
Why is copper tied to the economy?
It is essential to construction, electrical work and industry, so it rises with industrial demand and falls in recessions.