China · copper producer and consumer
Copper buyers in China
China is the world's largest consumer and refiner of copper, and the largest importer of copper concentrate. Chinese smelters, refiners, fabricators and traders buy concentrate, cathode, blister and recycled copper from around the world. On Copper Supply you can post an offer for free and reach ID-checked buyers, or post a buying requirement as a Chinese buyer.
Live copper listings involving China
2 live now- BuyingMonthlyCS-F92466
Buying 2,000 MT a monthCopper cathode
Grade A, non-registered brand
- Price
- LME −4%
- Deliver to
- FCA · Steinweg (Ndola), China
Origins accepted: Zambia, DR CongoXavier WilliamsCSS INTERNATIONAL LTDCompany checked6 h ago - BuyingMonthlyCS-45E573
Buying 50,000 MT a monthCopper concentrate
- Price
- 75% of LME on the Cu content
- Deliver to
- CIF · China
Origins accepted: Any originYussif BabaUnverified7 h ago
Copper in China
China mines copper, but it uses and refines far more than it mines. Its smelters import concentrate from Chile, Peru, Africa and elsewhere, and its fabricators buy cathode and recycled copper to make rod, wire, tube and sheet.
Who buys and what they need
- Smelters buy concentrate, mainly under long-term contracts, with spot cargoes on top. They want a full assay, low penalty elements, and pricing on payable copper less treatment and refining charges.
- Refiners buy blister and anode.
- Rod makers and fabricators buy cathode. Many prefer LME or SHFE registered brands, and price against the SHFE or LME plus a premium.
- Recyclers and fabricators buy recycled copper that meets the national standard.
- Trading companies buy all of these for resale.
Most buyers want independent inspection at loading for weight, moisture and assay, and pay by letter of credit or against documents. Few will pay before shipment.
Import rules at a high level
- Concentrate must meet China's limits on harmful elements, such as arsenic. High-arsenic material can be refused.
- Recycled copper must meet the national standard GB/T 38470-2019. Material that does not meet it is treated as solid waste, and solid waste imports are banned.
- Cathode and blister are imported under normal customs rules.
Rules change, so your buyer and their customs broker should confirm what applies before you ship.
Scams to watch for
- Fake Chinese buyers sending an LOI or ICPO, then asking the seller to pay for a "registration" or "inspection" fee.
- Edited bank letters from Chinese banks used to show funds. See fake bank documents.
- Scrap that fails the standard at the Chinese port, leaving the seller with costs.
- Material of unclear origin. Screen for sanctions and check the paperwork matches the cargo.
Finding verified buyers and sellers in China
Chinese buyers want reliable supply with clean documents. Sellers can post an offer once and reach buyers who trade that product, and Chinese buyers can post exactly what they need.
- Free to join and to post. Post a buying requirement or a selling offer. Every listing is checked automatically for fraud signs before it goes live, and stays live for 90 days.
- Every member passes an ID check (ID document and liveness) before they can message anyone or accept an introduction. Companies can be checked against their official registry. Badges show exactly what was checked.
- You choose who you talk to. A member asks for an introduction to your listing. You see their profile and what was checked, and you decide.
- The right people see it fast. Members who trade that product get an email within minutes of a new listing, and every Monday all members get a market report of every live buyer and seller.
- Deal rooms keep the NCNDA, LOI or ICPO, offers, SPA, IMFPA, documents and e-signatures in one private room. A broker who brings buyer and seller together is protected for 2 years on the platform.
- Check papers before you act. Run an SKR, SPA, COA, certificate of origin or bank letter through the document fraud check. The first check is free.
Copper Supply never holds trade money and takes no commission on deals. Before you deal with anyone, search the public scam list.
Copper in China: key facts
- Role in copper
- World's largest consumer and refiner of copper; largest importer of copper concentrate
- Main buyers
- Smelters and refiners, rod and wire makers, fabricators, recyclers and trading companies
- Main ports for copper
- Shanghai, Ningbo, Qingdao, Lianyungang and Fangchenggang, among others
- Exchange
- Shanghai Futures Exchange (SHFE); Yangshan premium for imported cathode
- Scrap import rule
- Recycled copper must meet national standard GB/T 38470-2019; other copper scrap is treated as solid waste
- Customs
- General Administration of Customs (GACC)
Products
- Copper concentrate suppliers
- Copper concentrate buyers
- Copper cathode suppliers
- Copper cathode buyers
- Blister copper suppliers
- Blister copper buyers
- Copper anode suppliers
- Copper anode buyers
- Millberry copper scrap suppliers
- Millberry copper scrap buyers
- Birch/Cliff copper scrap suppliers
- Birch/Cliff copper scrap buyers
How Copper Supply works
- Step 1Post freeSay what you buy or sell: product, tonnage, price basis, delivery terms. Fraud checks run before it goes live.
- Step 2Matching traders hear in minutesMembers who trade that product get an email as soon as your listing is live, and every Monday in the market report.
- Step 3Talk only to checked peopleNobody can message you until they've passed an ID check. You see what we checked and choose who to talk to.
- Step 4Run the deal in one roomNCNDA, LOI/ICPO, offers, SPA, IMFPA and signatures in one private deal room. Run any document through a fraud check before money moves.
Free to join. Copper Supply never holds trade money and takes no commission on deals.
Questions people ask
Who buys copper concentrate in China?
Chinese copper smelters are the main buyers, mostly under long-term contracts, with spot cargoes on top. Trading companies also buy. They expect a full assay, independent inspection, and pricing on payable copper less treatment and refining charges.
Can I export copper scrap to China?
Only recycled copper that meets the national standard GB/T 38470-2019 can be imported freely. Copper scrap that does not meet it is treated as solid waste and cannot be imported. Check with the buyer and their customs broker before you ship.
What payment terms do Chinese copper buyers use?
Letters of credit and payment against documents are the most common. Some trusted relationships use open terms. Be careful with any buyer who asks you to pay a fee before they will open an LC.
Do Chinese buyers need LME brand cathode?
Many prefer LME or SHFE registered brands, which are easier to price and to deliver to an exchange. Non-registered cathode can sell, usually at a discount, with a full assay and independent inspection.
How do I verify a copper buyer in China?
Check the company on China's national enterprise credit information system, confirm its bank and any LC with your own bank, and be wary of buyers who ask for fees. On Copper Supply, badges show which ID and company checks a buyer has passed.
Guides
Checking people2 min read
How to verify a copper buyer before you send an offer
Sellers are asked for offers, documents and samples by "buyers" who disappear. Three questions and a few checks that find the real ones.
Read the guidePayment3 min read
Payment terms that actually close copper deals
Most deals die on payment, not price. The structures that work in African copper, the ones that never do, and how to bridge the gap between test-first buyers and pay-first sellers.
Read the guideThe market2 min read
Copper scrap grades: millberry, birch, cliff and insulated wire
The names scrap traders use, what they mean, how scrap is priced against the LME, and the checks that matter before you pay.
Read the guideScams & fraud2 min read
POF, BCL, RWA and MT799: what bank letters really prove
Proof of funds is demanded in almost every copper deal and faked in many. What each common bank document means, what it doesn't, and how to check it.
Read the guide
Other copper countries
- Copper in DR Congoproducer
- Copper in Zambiaproducer
- Copper in Tanzaniatrading hub
- Copper in South Africaproducer and consumer
- Copper in Namibiaproducer
- Copper in Zimbabweproducer
- Copper in Mozambiquetrading hub
- Copper in Chileproducer
- Copper in Peruproducer
- Copper in Indiaconsumer
- Copper in United Arab Emiratestrading hub
- Copper in Turkeyconsumer
- Copper in South Koreaconsumer
Buying or selling copper in China?
Post it free. Members who trade that product get an email within minutes, and only ID-checked people can contact you.