Amendment to frequency of two copper concentrates index coefficients

After a consultation period, Fastmarkets is increasing the publication frequency of two copper concentrates index coefficients — MB-CU-0422 copper concentrates counterparty spread and MB-CU-0423 copper concentrates Co-VIU — from monthly to fortnightly.

The change in frequency will take place from January 24, 2025, following the initial consultation, which started on December 20, 2024.

The change comes amid extreme copper concentrates market conditions, with more frequent and volatile changes in the two copper coefficients.

Fastmarkets has been publishing the coefficients since April 2019 and both derive from Fastmarkets’ copper concentrates TC/RC index, cif Asia Pacific, which reflects the midpoint between smelter and trader buying levels.

The proposed index coefficient specifications are as follows (changes in italics):

MB-CU-0422 – Copper concentrates counterparty spread, $/tonne
Quality:
 Cu (%) base 26, max 37, min 18; Au (g/dmt) base 1.1, max30; Ag (g/dmt) base 75, max 350; S (%) Base 32, max 38, min 20; Fe (%) base 28, max 35, min 15; Pb (%) base 0.07, max 4; Zn (%) base 1, max 4; As (%) base 0.17 max 2; Sb (%) base 0.018, max 0.2; Hg (ppm) base 2.5, max 10; Bi (ppm) base 145, max 2,000
Quantity: Minimum 5,000 dry metric tonnes
Location: CIF Asia Pacific
Unit: USD/tonne
Publication:Fortnightly, Friday before 4pm UK time.
Notes: The counterparty spread price will measure, in $/tonne, the net gap between the average smelters purchases price and the traders purchase price for copper concentrate TCs.

MB-CU-0423 – Copper concentrates copper VIU, $/tonne
Quality: 
Cu (%) base 26, max 37, min 18; Au (g/dmt) base 1.1, max30; Ag (g/dmt) base 75, max 350; S (%) Base 32, max 38, min 20; Fe (%) base 28, max 35, min 15; Pb (%) base 0.07, max 4; Zn (%) base 1, max 4; As (%) base 0.17 max 2; Sb (%) base 0.018, max 0.2; Hg (ppm) base 2.5, max 10; Bi (ppm) base 145, max 2,000
Quantity: Minimum 5,000 dry metric tonnes
Location: CIF Asia Pacific
Unit: USD/tonne
Publication:Fortnightly, Friday before 4pm UK time.
Notes: The copper VIU price measures the value-in-use in $/tonne of one extra percentage point of copper in a parcel of concentrates.

These prices are part of the Fastmarkets base metals 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 Sally Zhang and/or Albert MacKenzie by email at: pricing@fastmarkets.com. Please add the subject heading “FAO: Sally Zhang/Albert MacKenzie, re: the frequency of two copper concentrates index coefficients.”

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 https://www.fastmarkets.com/methodology.

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