Abstract
Based on a geo-political and geo-economic approach we aim to demonstrate the significance today of copper as a strategic raw material for Latin America in the globalised world. In order to do this we analyse the geopolitical and geo-economic patterns of copper production and trading around the world, and in particular Latin America. We discover that this continent, as a large producer of copper, is sitting on a unique opportunity to make a giant leap towards economic integration with the rest of the world. The challenge for South America now is to increase its own competitiveness by encouraging foreign investment and de-regulating the copper market
