Platts to launch weekly 1% arsenic differential assessments for complex copper concentrate

Platts, part of S&P Global Energy, will launch weekly 1% arsenic treatment charge and refining charge differential assessments for complex copper concentrate, effective Dec. 4, 2026.

The differentials will be expressed against Platts' existing daily clean copper concentrate CIF China treatment charge (TC; PCCCB00) and refining charge (RC; PCCCC00) assessments.

The assessments will reflect the discount applied to copper concentrate with a basis specification of 1% arsenic relative to clean copper concentrate. To derive the implied TC/RC for complex copper concentrate, material with arsenic content between 0.5% and 1% may be normalized to the 1% arsenic basis specification.

Platts' clean copper concentrate assessments have a basis specification of 0.2% arsenic and consider concentrate with arsenic content of 0%-0.5%.

Market feedback has indicated a need for an independent assessment reflecting the difference between high-arsenic and clean copper concentrate amid tighter supplies of clean copper concentrate and increased copper concentrate blending capacity in China. Market participants have also indicated increased demand from Chinese smelters and traders for high-arsenic copper concentrate.

Clean copper concentrate is typically characterized by low levels of deleterious elements, including arsenic, zinc, lead, and fluorine. Market feedback indicates that arsenic content is the key differentiating factor between clean and complex concentrate and that clean concentrate typically has arsenic content below 0.5%. Complex copper concentrate with arsenic content between 0.5% and 1% is typically used in blending and represents a widely recognized specification threshold in the market.

The specifications are as follows:

Platts initially proposed the assessment on Oct. 12, in a subscriber note available here.

A full description of Platts' assessment methodologies can be found here.

Details of Platts' suite of copper assessments are available here.

The assessments will be published in Platts Nonferrous Metals Alert on pages MTL/PMA0304, in Platts Metals Daily, and in the Platts price database.

Please send any feedback, comments, or questions to platts_asia_copper@spglobal.com and pricegroup@spglobal.com.

For written comments, please provide a clear indication if comments are not intended for publication by Platts for public viewing.

Platts will consider all comments received and will make comments not marked as confidential available to the public upon request.