Copper – Exported from South Africa to Cathay Metals Trading Co. (China)
In Q4 2024, CM MINING facilitated the export of 58,200 metric tons of copper concentrate (27.8% Cu grade) from certified producers in South Africa’s North West and Limpopo provinces to Cathay Metals Trading Co., a Shanghai-based supplier to smelters across Jiangxi and Guangdong. This single consignment represented $1.42 billion in trade value one of the largest copper exports from Southern Africa to China that year.
Challenge
Solution
CM MINING coordinated with three additional certified producers in Rustenburg to source a low-arsenic batch (0.28% As). We blended and homogenized the material on-site under SGS supervision, achieving a final composite of 0.44% arsenic and 27.8% Cu. An independent Intertek report was commissioned and submitted to Chinese import agents 10 days pre-shipment, alongside full chain-of-custody logs and EUDR-aligned origin documentation.
Outcome:
The cargo cleared Shanghai Customs within 22 hours of arrival. Cathay Metals accepted the shipment without adjustment and signed a 12-month off-take agreement for 650,000 MT annually locking in CM MINING as its primary Southern African copper partner.