Copper

  • China’s Unwrought Copper Imports Hit 13-Month High in December

    BY Sophia Schmitz
    China’s imports of unwrought copper and copper products surged to a 13-month high in December, reaching 559,000 metric tons, a 17.8% increase compared to the same period last year, according to customs data released on Monday. This marks a 5.87% rise from November, attributed partly to sellers meeting remaining obligations under annual contracts. For the...
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  • Copper Smelters Face Low TC/RCs Amid Tightening Concentrate Supply in 2025

    BY Sophia Schmitz
    Treatment and refining charges (TC/RCs) for copper concentrate are expected to remain low throughout 2025 due to a tightening global supply, according to a new report by Fastmarkets. Analyst Andrew Cole forecasts the annual average spot TC at $10.7 per tonne for 2025, with monthly averages potentially reaching $20 per tonne by the end of...
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  • Iran Reports 3.2% Rise in Copper Cathode Production for 2024

    BY Lara Browne
    Iran’s copper cathode production grew by 3.2% during the first nine months of the Iranian calendar year (March 20 to December 21, 2024), reaching 216,732 tons compared to 209,956 tons in the same period last year. The data, released by the Iranian Mines and Mining Industries Development and Renovation Organization (IMIDRO), highlights the increasing output...
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  • BHP and Lundin Mining Form Vicuña Corp. to Advance Copper Projects in Argentina and Chile

    BY Lars Jensen
    BHP Group and Lundin Mining have completed their joint acquisition of Filo and established Vicuña, a 50/50 joint venture that will oversee the Filo del Sol and Josemaria copper projects in Argentina and Chile. The total acquisition cost was C$4 billion (approximately USD 3 billion), excluding shares already held by both companies, BHP announced on...
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  • Sierra Metals Projects Increased Production Across Most Metals for 2025

    BY Lara Browne
    Sierra Metals expects to boost production of copper, zinc, silver, and lead in 2025 as the company ramps up throughput rates and focuses on resource growth at its Yauricocha Mine in Peru and Bolivar Mine in Mexico. 2025 Guidance The company stated that at current metal prices, it expects to generate strong operating cash flows...
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  • Antofagasta Backs 2025 Guidance Despite Missing 2024 Copper Production Target

    BY Lars Jensen
    Antofagasta’s copper production for 2024 fell slightly below the company’s expectations but showed a 1% increase from the previous year. The Anglo-Chilean miner reported producing 664,000 tons of copper, which was at the lower end of its guided range of 670,000 to 710,000 tons. In the fourth quarter, copper production reached 200,300 tons, up 12%...
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  • Rio Tinto Reports Mixed Fourth-Quarter Production Results Amid Strategic Milestones

    BY Lara Browne
    Rio Tinto’s fourth-quarter production results reflect steady operational progress alongside challenges in key areas. The company celebrated milestones such as the successful ramp-up of the Oyu Tolgoi underground copper mine in Mongolia and the commencement of lithium production at the Rincon project in Argentina, while overall commodity production displayed varied performance. Chief Executive Jakob Stausholm...
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  • Codelco Faces Sustainability Questions After Copper Production Push in 2024

    BY Lara Browne
    Codelco, the world’s largest copper producer, managed to lift its annual copper output in 2024 to 1.328 million metric tons, narrowly escaping a 25-year low. However, concerns from union workers and analysts cast doubt on whether the company’s methods are sustainable as it targets an ambitious annual output of 1.7 million metric tons by the...
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  • Dundee Precious Metals Meets 2024 Production Targets at Bulgarian Mines

    BY John Davis
    Canada-based Dundee Precious Metals (DPM) announced that its Bulgarian operations, the Ada Tepe and Chelopech mines, successfully met their 2024 annual production guidance, according to preliminary results released on Wednesday. Ada Tepe recorded its highest quarterly output in the fourth quarter, producing 29,000 ounces of gold, contributing to a total annual production of approximately 94,300...
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  • MDO and Metso Partner on $30 Million Copper Concentrate Plant for Mazoon Project

    BY John Davis
    Minerals Development Oman (MDO), the country’s premier mining investment entity, has signed a $30 million contract with Finnish industrial machinery company Metso for the supply of a cutting-edge copper concentrate plant. This plant is a key component of MDO’s Mazoon Copper Project, under development in the Wilayat of Yanqul. The agreement was formalized during the...
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  • Copper and Silver Futures Surge Amid Fears of Trump-Era Import Tariffs

    BY Sophia Schmitz
    Copper and silver futures in New York are surging past international price benchmarks as traders brace for potential sweeping import tariffs under Donald Trump’s administration. Front-month Comex silver futures are trading at a premium of more than $0.90 per ounce over London spot bullion prices, nearing December peaks fueled by Trump’s pledges to apply universal...
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  • Indonesia Considers Renewing Freeport Indonesia’s Copper Export Permit

    BY Lars Jensen
    The Indonesian government is considering allowing mining giant Freeport Indonesia to resume copper concentrate exports this year after its permit expired on January 1. Energy Minister Bahlil Lahadalia confirmed that Freeport has formally requested a renewal of its export license, and the government is currently processing the application. “We are discussing this matter with the...
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  • Ivanhoe Mines Sets Higher 2025 Production Targets Following Record Output in Congo

    BY Lara Browne
    Ivanhoe Mines is poised to ramp up production at its Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) operations in 2025 after achieving record output in 2024. The Canadian mining company has set its 2025 production guidance at 520,000 to 580,000 metric tons of copper from its flagship Kamoa-Kakula operation. The company reported a 12% year-on-year increase in...
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  • Uzbekistan’s AMMC Targets 500,000 Tons of Copper Production by 2030

    BY Lars Jensen
    Almalyk Mining and Metallurgical Combine (AMMC) plans to ramp up copper production to 500,000 tons annually by 2030, according to Abdulla Khursanov, Chairman of AMMC. The expansion will be driven by new projects in the Tashkent region, focusing on developing non-ferrous and precious metal deposits at the Almalyk and Angren ore fields and processing waste...
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  • China’s Copper Smelters Lower Processing Fees Amid Ongoing Ore Shortage

    BY John Davis
    China’s leading copper smelters have agreed to reduce processing charges for copper concentrate in the first quarter of 2025 due to a continued shortage of copper ore, according to industry sources. During a meeting of the China Smelters Purchase Team in Shanghai, smelters set new guidance for treatment and refining charges (TC/RCs) at $25 per...
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  • JSW Group Expands into Copper Mining with Acquisition of Jharkhand Mines

    BY Sophia Schmitz
    JSW Group has entered the non-ferrous metals sector by acquiring two copper mines in Jharkhand, India, from Hindustan Copper through a competitive bidding process. This diversification aligns with the rising global demand for copper driven by electric vehicles, renewable energy projects, construction, and consumer appliances. Under the agreement, JSW will handle the development, capital investment,...
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  • China’s Copper Wire Rod Exports Surge in November 2024 but Face Challenges Ahead

    BY Lara Browne
    China’s exports of refined copper wire with a maximum cross-sectional dimension exceeding 6mm reached 6,303.98 metric tonnes (mt) in November 2024, marking a 26% month-on-month (MoM) increase and a 68.3% year-on-year (YoY) rise. Cumulatively, from January to November 2024, exports totaled 57,600 mt under HS code 74081100. The rebound in copper wire rod exports during...
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  • SK Nexilis Secures $133 Million Polish Subsidy for Copper Foil Manufacturing

    BY Lara Browne
    SK Nexilis, the world’s largest producer of copper foil, has been awarded a $133 million subsidy by the Polish government under the European Union’s Temporary Crisis and Transition Framework (TCTF) program. The Korean company announced that the subsidy, equivalent to 545 million Polish zloty, will enhance its cooperation with Poland on clean energy initiatives and...
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  • China’s Copper Smelters Set Lower Processing Charges for Q1 2025

    BY John Davis
    China’s leading copper smelters have agreed on reduced price guidance for copper concentrate processing and refining charges (TC/RCs) for the first quarter of 2025, reflecting a continued shortage of copper concentrates. The new rates, agreed upon at a meeting of the China Smelters Purchase Team in Shanghai, are set at $25 per metric ton and...
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  • Codelco Seeks to Extend Gabriela Mistral Mine Life to 2055

    BY John Davis
    Chile’s state-owned copper producer Codelco has applied for an environmental permit to extend the life of its Gabriela Mistral mine by more than 25 years. The proposed $800 million project would push the current closure date from 2028 to at least 2055, ensuring continued production at the Antofagasta region mine, which has been operational since...
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