Washington | Australian mining giants BHP and Rio Tinto will be affected by new 50 per cent tariffs on copper flagged by US President Donald Trump, who ramped up his protectionist trade war and warned of more sectoral levies to come.

Trump told reporters during a cabinet meeting on Tuesday (Wednesday AEST) that details regarding copper tariffs would be revealed later in the day, and said a separate planned levy of up to 200 per cent on pharmaceuticals would come after a year’s grace period.