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Copper ore · verified buyers
Copper ore buyers are processing plants that leach oxide ore or float sulphide ore, and traders who supply them, mostly in Zambia and the DRC. They pay for the copper in the ore, per dry tonne, after sampling and assay, and set a minimum grade. On Copper Supply you can post a free selling offer, and members who buy ore are told about it within minutes.
No live copper ore buying requests right now. Post yours and members who trade copper ore are emailed within minutes.
Post it freeMost ore is bought close to where it is mined, because transport costs a lot compared with the copper in a truck of ore. Few buyers will pay for ore that has to travel far.
Agree the sampling method, lab and umpire lab in writing before the first truck. See trial orders.
Post a selling offer with your grade range, ore type, location, trucks per week and recent assays. You can price it as a % of LME on the Cu content, a fixed price, or open to offers. Listings stay live 90 days. Buyers ask for an introduction and you choose who to deal with. Copper Supply never holds trade money and takes no commission.
Free to join. Copper Supply never holds trade money and takes no commission on deals.
Processing plants: leach plants that buy oxide ore and flotation plants that buy sulphide ore, plus traders and toll processors who supply them. Most ore is bought near where it is mined, mainly in Zambia and the DRC, because transport is costly compared with the value of the copper.
Usually as a share of the LME value of the copper it contains, minus processing, recovery and transport costs, and paid on dry tonnes. Some plants pay a fixed price per tonne for each grade band. Payment is normally per truck after an independent assay.
Many plants set a minimum of around 2% copper, but it depends on distance, ore type and the plant's process. Low-grade ore far from a plant may not cover the cost of transport. Ask the buyer for their minimum grade and deductions before loading.
Oxide ore, such as malachite, is usually treated by leaching with acid and SX-EW, which makes cathode. Sulphide ore, such as chalcopyrite, is crushed and floated to make concentrate for a smelter. Each needs a different kind of plant, so the buyer must match the ore type.
The market2 min read
How some buyers source ore directly from small and mid-sized mines: own trucks, joint sampling, independent assay and payment per truck. The maths and the risks.
Read the guideHow deals work2 min read
A trial of one to a few trucks is how most new copper relationships begin. How to structure it so both sides are protected, and what comes after.
Read the guideScams & fraud3 min read
Testing copper before you pay is good practice. The scam version lets you test material the seller doesn't own, then takes your money before you control the goods.
Read the guideChecking people
Post it free. Members who trade it get an email within minutes, and only ID-checked people can contact you.
Typical copper ore specification
Ask for the licence number and check it in the country's official mining cadastre, for example Zambia's mining cadastre or the DRC's CAMI. Check that the licence is valid, covers the area the ore comes from and is in the seller's name, or that the seller has written authority from the holder.
The DRC has restricted exports of unprocessed copper ore and concentrate for years, with exemptions granted from time to time. Rules change, so check the current position with the Ministry of Mines and a customs agent before you sign. Most DRC ore is processed inside the country.
A step-by-step list for checking a company before you sign or pay, and when it is worth commissioning a full due-diligence report.