At a glance
COPJ charges 0.75% a year, above the 0.55% average of the 3 funds most like it (the most expensive of 4). It has $150.9M in assets, the 3rd largest of that group; it paid 11.59% of its price in distributions over the past 12 months, annual. Over the past year it returned +26.5% with distributions reinvested (S&P 500: +11.5%), the weakest of those 4 funds; over three years it returned +45.1% a year. Its ten largest positions make up 43.1% of the fund, out of 69 in all.
The short version
Sprott Junior Copper Miners ETF (COPJ) tracks the Nasdaq Sprott Junior Copper Miners Index. The index holds "junior" copper miners: smaller companies that explore for, develop or produce copper, mostly in Canada and Australia. Companies must be worth no more than $2.5 billion to join, which makes it a narrower small-company bet than most copper funds. At 0.75% a year, it costs more than the three similar funds compared, and its price has swung sharply.
Price history
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COPJ +26.5% over the year to Oct 27, 2026, total return with distributions reinvested.
How it has behaved
| YTD | 1 yr | 3 yr | 5 yr | 10 yr | Since start | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| COPJ official prospectus, to Dec 31, 2025 | — | +137.40% | — | — | — | +36.54% |
| S&P 500 Total Return Index index, same period | — | +17.88% | — | — | — | +20.78% |
| Nasdaq Sprott Junior Copper Miners Index index, same period | — | +132.42% | — | — | — | +37.19% |
| COPJ price data to Oct 27, 2026 | -0.1% | +26.5% | +45.1% | — | — | +28.2% |
- Over the year to Oct 27, 2026, COPJ returned +26.5%, 4th of 4 among similar funds.
- Its worst full calendar year was 2024 (+11.4%); its best was 2025 (+140.1%).
- The deepest fall in its price history was 32.3% (Jan 29, 2026 to Mar 20, 2026), not yet recovered.
Show as a table
| Year | Price data | Prospectus (official) |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (to date) | -0.1% | — |
| 2025 | +140.1% | +137.40% |
| 2024 | +11.4% | +12.42% |
| 2008 financial crisis stocks fell Oct 9, 2007 – Mar 9, 2009 | Before this security existed |
|---|---|
| 2020 COVID crash stocks fell Feb 19, 2020 – Mar 23, 2020 | Before this security existed |
| 2022 bear market stocks fell Jan 3, 2022 – Oct 12, 2022 | Before this security existed |
Dividends and income
Show as a table
| Year | Per share | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $4.5500 | +111.6% |
| 2024 | $2.1500 |
What's inside
As of Jun 30, 2026, the fund held 69 securities; the ten largest made up 43.14% of assets, and 2.53% sat in cash and money-market holdings.
| Holding | Weight | |
|---|---|---|
| Faraday Copper Corp | 4.98% | |
| Trekor Metals Ltd | 4.88% | |
| Atalaya Mining Copper Sa | 4.83% | |
| Ero Copper Corp | 4.68% | |
| Osisko Metals Inc | 4.42% | |
| Firefly Metals Ltd | 4.37% | |
| Solaris Resources Inc | 4.33% | |
| Ivanhoe Electric Inc / Us | 3.76% | |
| Sociedad Punta Del Cobre Sa | 3.56% | |
| Amerigo Resources Ltd | 3.35% | |
| Trilogy Metals Inc | 2.77% | |
| Atex Resources Inc | 2.71% | |
| Blue Moon Metals Inc | 2.69% | |
| Marimaca Copper Corp | 2.44% | |
| Gruvaktiebolaget Viscaria | 2.09% |
By country
Canada 59.52%Australia 15.2%Cyprus 4.83%United States 3.76%Chile 3.56%By asset type
Stocks 98.08%What changed recently
- Over the three months to Jun 30, 2026, investors withdrew a net $19.1M (creations minus redemptions, per the N-PORT report).
- Monthly total returns reported for that quarter: +7.64%, +9.01%, -11.25%.
How it works
COPJ is an index fund. It aims to match the Nasdaq Sprott Junior Copper Miners Index before fees. Nasdaq and Sprott Asset Management designed the index together, and Nasdaq maintains it. To qualify, a company must get at least 50% of its revenue or assets from copper mining, exploration, development or production. Candidates are found through industry publications, analyst research and meetings with management. A new company must be worth $40 million to $2.5 billion and trade at least $50,000 a day on average. Existing members can stay until they fall below $25 million or grow above $3.5 billion.
Each company is weighted by its free-float market value, meaning only shares available to the public count. Each holding is capped at 4.75% and must be at least 0.30%. The index is rebuilt and rebalanced each June and December, and weights can drift between those dates. As of June 30, 2026, the fund held 69 companies, and the top 10 made up 43% of assets. The largest were Faraday Copper (5.0%), Trekor Metals (4.9%), Atalaya Mining Copper (4.8%) and Ero Copper (4.7%). About 60% was in Canada and 15% in Australia.
Sprott and its sub-adviser, ALPS Advisors, generally buy every stock in the index. The fund is non-diversified, can put up to 20% of assets outside the index, and may lend out its securities. Portfolio turnover was 59%.
What it really costs
- COPJ charges 0.75% a year, versus an average of 0.55% for the similar funds below (4th of 4, cheapest first).
- Using the prospectus's standard example, $10,000 invested would cost about $77 in the first year and $930 over 10 years (assuming a 5% annual return).
| Cost of $10,000 (SEC example) | 1 yr | 3 yrs | 5 yrs | 10 yrs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| COPJ | $77 | $240 | $417 | $930 |
In a retirement portfolio
COPJ is a narrow, volatile bet on small copper miners, so it fits better as a small side position than as a building block.
COPJ could add direct exposure to small copper companies, which most broad stock funds hold little of. It launched on February 1, 2023, so it has no record from the 2008, 2020 or 2022 downturns. Its weakest full calendar year, 2024, still returned 12.42%, but its worst quarter lost 12.23%. Its deepest drop was 32.3%, from January 29 to March 20, 2026, and the fund had not regained that peak as of October 27, 2026. Volatility over the year to that date was 47.2%, far above a typical stock fund. Someone who might need to sell shares in a bad year could be forced to sell after a large fall. The trailing yield was 11.59% as of October 27, 2026, but the fund pays only once a year, and one year's payout may not repeat. Costs run 0.75%, or $77 in the first year on $10,000. Past results don't predict the future, and a plan should look at the whole portfolio, not one fund.
Who it may suit — and who should look elsewhere
May suit
- Investors who want a small, deliberate position in junior copper miners, with companies capped at $2.5 billion in market value when they join the index.
- People comfortable with swings like a 32.3% drop in under two months in early 2026 and volatility of 47.2% over one year.
- Investors looking for copper exposure that differs from other copper ETFs, since no similar fund shared even 20% of COPJ's holdings.
Look elsewhere if
- Cost-conscious investors: at 0.75%, COPJ costs more than COPA (0.35%), COPP (0.65%) and COPX (0.65%).
- Retirees who need steady, predictable income, since COPJ pays once a year and one year's large payout may not repeat.
- Investors who want a long track record, since COPJ launched in February 2023 and has no record from the 2008, 2020 or 2022 downturns.
Close alternatives
Matched by closest holdings overlap from the latest N-PORT reports (no similar fund shares 20% or more of its holdings).
Net assets from each fund's latest N-PORT or annual report where available. Returns through Oct 27, 2026.Questions investors ask
Does COPJ pay a dividend?
Yes, but only once a year. Over the 12 months to October 27, 2026, COPJ paid $4.55 per share, a trailing yield of 11.59%. A once-a-year payout from a fund of small mining companies can change a lot from one year to the next, so a single year's figure may not repeat. Investors who need regular monthly or quarterly cash would have to sell shares or rely on other holdings between payments.
What's the difference between COPJ and COPP?
Both are Sprott copper miner ETFs, but they own quite different companies. Based on the latest holdings reports, only about 11% of their holdings overlap. COPJ targets junior miners worth no more than $2.5 billion when they join its index. COPP charges 0.65% against COPJ's 0.75%, and it is larger, with about $285.7 million in net assets versus $150.9 million as of June 30, 2026. Over the year to October 27, 2026, COPP returned 36.3% and COPJ returned 26.5%.
Is COPJ good for retirement?
COPJ is better viewed as a small, higher-risk side position than a core retirement holding. It owns only small copper mining companies, mostly in Canada and Australia. Volatility over one year was 47.2% as of October 27, 2026. It fell 32.3% between January 29 and March 20, 2026, and had not recovered by October 27. It launched in 2023, so it has never been through a full bear market. Large swings can hurt if shares must be sold in a down year.
What is COPJ's expense ratio?
COPJ's expense ratio is 0.75% a year, according to its prospectus filed April 30, 2026. That is the highest of the four copper funds compared. Themes Copper Miners ETF (COPA) charges 0.35%, and Sprott Copper Miners ETF (COPP) and Global X Copper Miners ETF (COPX) each charge 0.65%. The peer average is 0.55%. In the SEC's standard example, $10,000 earning 5% a year would cost $77 in fees over one year, $417 over five years and $930 over ten.
How has COPJ performed since it launched?
COPJ has delivered large gains with big swings. Its prospectus shows a 137.4% return in 2025 and 12.42% in 2024. Through December 31, 2025, it averaged 36.54% a year since launch, against 20.78% for the S&P 500. The strongest quarter gained 38.08% and the weakest lost 12.23%. Momentum has slowed since then. The price return was 26.5% for the year to October 27, 2026, and close to flat for 2026 to that date.