The International Wrought Copper Council predicts a shortage in the copper market in 2018 in the amount of 249 thousand tons and its decline to 165 thousand tons in 2019, as it expects global demand for copper, which may exceed its production, in these two years. According to experts, this year 23 million 600 thousand tons of refined copper will be produced in the world, next year its production will be 24 million 280 thousand tons. At the same time, experts expect a general increase in demand for metal. According to their calculations, the global increase in demand for copper will be 3% to 23 million 849 thousand tons this year and 2.5% to 24 million 445 thousand tons next.