Fastmarkets to launch three new China copper scrap grades, increase frequency

Fastmarkets will increase the frequency of its two existing CIF China port copper scrap prices and add three new grades on Monday March 16.

After a consultation, Fastmarkets will increase the CIF China copper scrap publication frequency from monthly to weekly and add three new grades: millberry, cobra and clove.

The amendments, noted in italics, for the two existing grades are as follows:

MB-CU-0512 No1 copper wire/material, RCu-2A,1B (candy/berry), cif China, LME discount, US cents per lb
Quality: Definitions of RCu-2A and RCu-1B as stipulated in China’s GB per tonne 38471-2023 document. RCu-2A (#1 copper materials, ISRI code candy) requires a minimum copper content of 99.2%, less than 0.5% non-metallic inclusions and less than 0.2% hazardous content. RCu-1B (#1 copper wire, ISRI code berry) requires a minimum copper content of 99%, less than 0.5% non-metallic inclusions and less than 0.2% hazardous content
Quantity: Min 25 tonnes
Location: CIF Chinese ports (Shanghai, Guangdong, Zhejiang, Tianjin, Shandong)
Timing: Within 5 weeks
Unit: US cents per lb
Payment: Cash against documents, letter of credit, telegraphic transfer; other terms normalized
Publication: , Monday, 3-4pm UK time.

MB-CU-0360 No2 copper wire/material, RCu-1C, 2B (birch/cliff), cif China, LME discount, US cents per lb
Quality: Definitions of RCu-1C and RCu-2B as stipulated in China’s GB per tonne 38471-2023 document. RCu-1C (#2 copper wire, ISRI code birch) requires a minimum copper content of 97%, less than 0.8% non-metallic inclusions and less than 0.3% hazardous content. RCu-2B (#2 copper materials, ISRI code cliff) requires a minimum copper content of 97%, less than 0.8% non-metallic inclusions and less than 0.3% hazardous content.
Quantity: Min 25 tonnes
Location: CIF Chinese ports (Shanghai, Guangdong, Zhejiang, Tianjin and Shandong)
Timing: Within 5 weeks
Unit: US cents per lb
Payment: Cash against documents, letter of credit, telegraphic transfer; other terms normalized
Publication: Weekly, Monday, 3-4pm UK time.

In addition, Fastmarkets will launch assessments for the following grades:

MB-CU-0517 Bare bright copper wire, RCu-1A (barley/millberry), cif China, LME discount, US cents per lb
Quality: Definitions of RCu-1A as stipulated in China’s GB per tonne 38471-2023 document. RCu-1A (bare bright wire, ISRI code barley, also known as millberry) requires a minimum copper content of 99.7%, less than 0.3% non-metallic inclusions and less than 0.2% hazardous content.
Quantity: Min 25 tonnes
Location: CIF Chinese ports (Shanghai, Guangdong, Zhejiang, Tianjin, Shandong)
Timing: Within 5 weeks
Unit: US cents per lb
Payment: Cash against documents, letter of credit, telegraphic transfer; other terms normalized
Publication: Weekly, Monday, 3-4pm UK time.

MB-CU-0518 No1 copper wire nodules, RCu-3A (Clove), cif China, LME discount, US cents per lb
Quality: Definitions of RCu-3A as stipulated in China’s GB per tonne 38471-2023 document. RCu-3A (#1 copper nodules, ISRI code clove) requires a minimum copper content of 99.7%, less than 0.3% non-metallic inclusions and less than 0.2% hazardous content.
Quantity: Min 25 tonnes
Location: CIF Chinese ports (Shanghai, Guangdong, Zhejiang, Tianjin, Shandong)
Timing: Within 5 weeks
Unit: US cents per lb
Payment: Cash against documents, letter of credit, telegraphic transfer; other terms normalized
Publication: Weekly, Monday, 3-4pm UK time.

MB-CU-0519 No2 copper wire nodules, RCu-3B (Cobra), cif China, LME discount, US cents per lb
Quality: Definitions of RCu-3B as stipulated in China’s GB per tonne 38471-2023 document. RCu-3B (#2 copper nodules, ISRI code cobra) requires a minimum copper content of 98%, less than 0.8% non-metallic inclusions and less than 0.3% hazardous content.
Quantity: Min 25 tonnes
Location: CIF Chinese ports (Shanghai, Guangdong, Zhejiang, Tianjin, Shandong)
Timing: Within 5 weeks
Unit: US cents per lb
Payment: Cash against documents, letter of credit, telegraphic transfer; other terms normalized
Publication: Weekly, Monday, 3-4pm UK time.

These prices are part of the scrap package.

To provide feedback on these prices or if you would like to provide price information by becoming a data submitter to these prices, please contact pricing@fastmarkets.com and metalsrecycling@fastmarkets.com. Please add the subject heading “re: CIF China copper scrap.”

Please indicate if comments are confidential. Fastmarkets will consider all comments received and will make comments not marked as confidential available upon request.

To see all Fastmarkets pricing methodology and specification documents, go to the Fastmarkets methodology page.

What to read next
The publication of several Fastmarkets copper concentrates indices and coefficients was delayed by 18 minutes on Friday May 1 due to a procedural error.
Fastmarkets has launched three new critical minerals prices on Friday May 1 to improve transparency in the US market. The additional prices are: MB-BI-0004 – Bismuth 99.99%, ddp US, $/lbMB-IN-0005 – Indium 99.99%, ddp US, $/kgMB-GA-0003 – Gallium 99.99%, ddp US $/kg The launch of the bismuth and indium price assessments follow a consultation period […]
Fastmarkets has corrected its assessment for MB-STE-0047 Steel hot-rolled coil import, cfr main port Southern Europe, €/tonne published on Wednesday April 29.
Fastmarkets has decided to change the timestamp of several of its agriculture prices linked to the Chicago Mercantile Exchange and MIAX Futures Exchange to align the time of publication with the exchanges’ settlement time at 1:15pm US Central Time.
Fastmarkets is expanding its renewable fuels coverage with the launch of new European HVO price assessments for four different product categories: HVO (Crop), HVO (UCO), HVO (Tallow) and HVO (POME), effective Thursday April 30, 2026.
Capital is flowing back into junior mining, but selectively. Investment is increasingly favouring development‑stage assets with clearer paths to production, supported by government funding and strategic partnerships. While demand for critical minerals underpins the cycle, early‑stage explorers continue to struggle for capital as investors prioritise discipline, ESG alignment and near‑term cash flow.