The Department of War (DOW) announced today an April 27, 2026, investment of a 30-month, $37.2 million contract to the Principal Mineral Company, Inc., of Southlake, Texas, bringing the total Department of War investment in Camden Copper to $74.9 million to revitalize domestic production of defense-grade electrodeposited (ED) copper foil. This initiative, funded through the Assistant Secretary of War for Industrial Base Policy's Industrial Base Analysis and Sustainment (IBAS) program, will secure a vital domestic supply chain for ED copper foil, a critical material for the nation's microelectronics industrial base.
"This American-made, American-owned partnership delivers a clear win for both our national and economic security," said Assistant Secretary of War for Industrial Base Policy, the Honorable Michael Cadenazzi. "By onshoring the production of critical copper foil with Principal Mineral and Camden Copper, we secure a vital defense supply chain and reinvest in the South Carolina manufacturing community."
The Copper Foil project centers on the former Denkai America Inc. manufacturing facility in Camden, South Carolina, which now operates as Camden Copper under new American ownership by Principal Mineral. Camden Copper is the nation's sole remaining source of defense-grade ED copper foil, which is essential for critical defense applications, including printed circuit boards, advanced radio frequency systems, and electromagnetic shielding.
