1. China is considering imposing new restrictions on copper scrap imports starting from early 2018.

According to reports, the Chinese government may begin banning traders from importing scrap copper starting from early 2018, in an effort to intensify its crackdown on imported scrap metals and reduce pollution from heavy industry. The report indicates that Chinese authorities have already imposed stricter requirements for import permits for scrap metals, making imports virtually impossible. Previously, the Chinese government had announced that it would ban the import of certain scrap metals—including scrap copper—starting from the end of 2018.

2. London’s largest copper producer invests £2 billion in Anglo American.

On March 15, Anil Agarwal made a bold move by acquiring up to 12% of the shares in Anglo American, a mining company listed in London that has long been the primary competitor of Vedanta Resources, the company he runs.

3. The first batch of Philippine copper ore imported to Meizhou.

On March 23, a shipment of 50 tons of imported copper ore arrived in Meizhou from the Philippines. This is the first batch of mineral products Meizhou has imported this year. Upon receiving the inspection declaration, Meizhou’s inspection and quarantine authorities immediately took samples from the shipment and promptly initiated the relevant testing and processing procedures.

4. World’s First! El Salvador Bans All Metal Mining Operations Nationwide

On March 29, El Salvador’s parliament held a vote, and a bill completely banning the mining of metallic minerals was passed with the support of 70 legislators from different political parties. This means that all exploration, extraction, and processing of metals—whether on the surface or underground—are prohibited. The use of toxic chemicals such as cyanide and mercury is also banned.

5. Tanzania bans the export of certain mineral resources, including copper.

Starting in March, Tanzania banned the export of gold, copper, nickel, and silver to ensure that value-added activities related to mineral resources are carried out within the country's borders.

6. BHP cut its copper production by 17% in 2017.

BHP’s first-quarter production report, released on April 26, stated that copper production for the nine months ending March 2017 fell by 20% year-on-year to 939,000 tons, while copper ore production in the first quarter of 2017 was 227,000 tons.

7. Shenyang to Build Northeast China’s First Copper Industry Base Worth Trillions of Yuan

Liaoning Province has proposed building, during the 13th Five-Year Plan period, an equipment manufacturing system characterized by innovation-driven development and green, low-carbon practices, thereby becoming a key base for advanced equipment manufacturing in China. It is now urgent to accelerate the development of a copper industry base in Northeast China and establish a relatively complete industrial chain.

8. The largest copper and aluminum wire and cable manufacturer in Northwest China has set up operations in Qinghai.

Qinghai Xingming Power Materials Co., Ltd., the largest wire and cable manufacturer in Northwest China, has officially begun operations. This development means that Qinghai will now be able to produce medium- and high-voltage—and even ultra-high-voltage—cross-linked power cables domestically, as well as develop and manufacture specialized new products tailored for high-altitude regions, including high-altitude cold-resistant photovoltaic cables, new-energy charging station cables, and corrosion-resistant aluminum alloy conductors.

9. Kamoa could become the world’s largest undeveloped copper mine.

The Kamoa-Kakula deposit is the world’s largest high-grade copper deposit, surpassing Alaska’s Pebble copper mine to become the world’s largest undeveloped copper deposit.

10. The Forbes 2000 list releases the global top 36 in the non-ferrous metals sector.

Forbes released its 2017 Global 2,000 List, and Zijin Mining ranked 1,200th on the list thanks to its strong performance. Among the 36 nonferrous metal companies listed, Zijin Mining ranked 18th; among domestically listed nonferrous metal companies, it ranked second.

11. Nepal Discovers Its First Large-Scale Copper Deposit—Average Grade of 7.9%, a Rarity Worldwide

The No. 1 Geological and Mineral Exploration Institute of the Shandong Provincial Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources has discovered a super-large copper deposit in Wapsa Town, Solukhumbu District, Nepal. The average grade of the deposit is 7.9%, and preliminary estimates indicate that the copper metal resources could reach or exceed the scale of a large-sized deposit.

12. The first lead-free copper project in the entire Xinjiang region has begun production in Fukang.

In the production workshop of Xinjiang Zhengyuan Tai Copper Alloy Technology Co., Ltd. located in Fukan Industrial Park, Xinjiang’s first lead-free copper project has officially begun operations. According to available information, the project has a total investment of 380 million yuan, with 260 million yuan already invested. The production lines for brass rods and wires have now been officially put into operation. Once the entire project is fully operational, it is expected to produce 100,000 tons of various copper alloy products annually.

13. The Symposium on Intelligent Manufacturing of Nonferrous Metals Held in Shanghai

On September 22, a seminar themed “Intelligent Manufacturing of Nonferrous Metals,” jointly organized by the Shanghai Nonferrous Metals Society and Shanghai University of Applied Technology, with support from the Shanghai Nonferrous Metals Industry Association, was held at Shanghai University of Applied Technology. Hundreds of participants—including academicians of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, university professors, experts in engineering technology and intelligent manufacturing, and corporate managers—gathered to discuss the application and development of intelligent manufacturing in the nonferrous metals industry. Professor Liu XinKuan from Shanghai University of Technology pointed out that copper-processing enterprises currently face numerous challenges, including a large number of companies, low industrial concentration, overcapacity, intense homogeneous competition, limited alloy varieties, and slow product update rates. As an example, he noted that overseas research has developed more than 100 proprietary alloy series for leadframe materials, whereas China currently offers only two varieties.

14. Germany develops green laser 3D printing technology for copper materials.

Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Laser Technology are developing a green-laser selective laser melting (SLM) system for 3D printing of pure copper or copper alloys. This project has been named “Green SLM.” The underlying concept behind the “Green SLM” project is to develop a green laser beam capable of melting copper and copper alloys. Compared to lasers with a wavelength of 1 μm, copper absorbs more efficiently at a wavelength of 515 nm; therefore, using a green laser with a wavelength of 515 nm as the energy source for copper SLM 3D printing can reduce the required laser power while maintaining high focusing accuracy. If the researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Laser Technology succeed in developing a green laser specifically for SLM 3D printers, it will pave the way for highly efficient printing of copper materials. As the researchers put it: “We aim to achieve more uniform melt-pool dynamics, thereby enhancing both the density and precision of copper-printed parts.”

15. Tongguan Copper Foil Company’s new product breaks the international technology monopoly.

The ultra-low-profile electronic copper foil developed by Anhui Tongguan Copper Foil Co., Ltd. was awarded the title of “New Product of Anhui Province” in 2017. The newly developed ultra-low-profile electronic copper foil by Tongguan Copper Foil Company, characterized by its exceptionally low surface roughness, effectively addresses the impact of the “skin effect” on high-frequency signals—specifically, the attenuation and distortion of signals in printed circuit boards. As a result, this product can be widely used in the manufacture of high-speed, high-frequency printed circuit boards. Since this series of copper foils represents cutting-edge, high-precision technology in the field of electronic copper foils, it is challenging to produce and involves complex preparation processes with stringent quality requirements. Previously, only Japanese copper foil manufacturers were capable of mass-producing such high-tech products. Consequently, domestically, the demand for electronic copper foils used in high-frequency, high-speed printed circuit boards has largely relied on imports, and there is an urgent need to develop domestic production technologies for these materials.

16. The application for the launch of copper futures options on the Shanghai Futures Exchange has been approved.

On November 19, the Shanghai Futures Exchange (hereinafter referred to as “SHFE”) announced that its application for launching copper futures options has received approval from the China Securities Regulatory Commission. This marks China’s first-ever options contract on an industrial product, further enriching the risk-management tools available in the domestic nonferrous metals derivatives market. According to analysts, the launch of copper futures options will not only provide more sophisticated risk-management tools for companies involved in the copper industry chain, enhancing their flexibility in risk management, but also help refine the investor structure of the domestic copper futures market, thereby bolstering China’s ability to exert greater influence over international copper pricing as it advances its development as an international financial center.

17. Guangxi’s first containerized sea-rail intermodal train carrying copper concentrate has begun operation.

The X9564 train, consisting of 96 container cars, slowly departed from Fangchenggang Station, fully loaded with 2,400 tons of imported copper concentrate in containers. This is the first containerized sea-rail intermodal train from Fangchenggang to Taohua Village Station in Yunnan, and also the first “point-to-point” sea-rail intermodal train for imported containerized copper ore operated by Guangxi.

18. Chile’s state-owned Codelco is set to adopt a new pricing model for copper sales.

Oscar Landerretche, Chairman of Chile's state-owned copper company Codelco, revealed that in the coming months, Codelco will begin selling copper at a price that takes into account factors such as the environmental footprint of production.

19. The copper electrolysis starter sheet automatic peeling unit independently developed by the Nickel-Cobalt Research and Design Institute of Jinchuan Group has attracted industry attention.

At the 2nd National (Dongying) Nonferrous Metals Industry Exhibition held in Shandong in November 2017, the automatic copper electrolysis starter sheet peeling unit—developed independently by the Nickel-Cobalt Research & Design Institute of Jinchuan Group—gained significant industry attention. The automatic copper electrolysis starter sheet peeling unit, also developed independently by the Nickel-Cobalt Research & Design Institute of Jinchuan Group, is designed for removing copper starter sheets from titanium seed plates. It integrates advanced technologies from multiple fields—including mechanical, hydraulic, pneumatic, vacuum, electrical, sensing, and automatic control—and automates functions such as opening the starter sheets on the seed plates, peeling them off, packing them into boxes, correcting strip clamping, and arranging the seed plates. This unit represents a key piece of equipment for achieving fully automated starter sheet removal in copper electrolysis production. It enables the complete automation of both starter sheet peeling and boxing, bringing an end to the era of manual starter sheet removal in copper electrolysis systems.

20. Asia Copper Weekly: The “Belt and Road” Initiative Accelerates the Pace of International Capacity Cooperation

On November 28, the 2017 Asia Copper Week opened in Shanghai. The event was co-organized by the Chilean Copper and Mining Research Center and the China Nonferrous Metals Industry Association. Chen Quanxun, President of the China Nonferrous Metals Industry Association, and Shang Fushan, Vice President, attended the event. At the event, Chen Quanxun stated that, driven by the country’s “Belt and Road” initiative, Chinese enterprises have accelerated their pace of international capacity cooperation, and cooperation and exchanges between China and the global copper industry have become even closer, yielding increasingly significant economic and social benefits for both sides. Through concerted efforts, we can inject new momentum into promoting inclusive, harmonious, mutually beneficial, and shared cooperation and exchanges. Over the past six years, the participation and sophistication of Asia Copper Week have continued to expand, making it an important platform for the global copper industry to enhance communication, build mutual trust, and deepen cooperation. We must make full use of this platform to jointly open a new chapter in the development of the copper industry in China and around the world.

21. The General Administration of Quality Supervision issued a notice clarifying the maximum permissible levels of toxic and harmful elements in imported copper concentrates.

On December 8, the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine issued the “Announcement by the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine, the Ministry of Environmental Protection, and the Ministry of Commerce on the Publication of Maximum Permissible Limits for Toxic and Harmful Elements in Imported Copper Concentrates” (hereinafter referred to as the “Announcement”). The Announcement clarifies that copper concentrate products refer to concentrates containing copper ore that have been beneficiated through flotation or other methods and whose copper content is not less than 13%, intended for copper smelting. The Announcement emphasizes that the toxic and harmful elements subject to limit requirements in imported copper concentrates include lead, arsenic, fluorine, cadmium, and mercury. The specific requirements are as follows: Lead (Pb) shall not exceed 6.00%; arsenic (As) shall not exceed 0.50%; fluorine (F) shall not exceed 0.10%; cadmium (Cd) shall not exceed 0.05%; and mercury (Hg) shall not exceed 0.01%. The Announcement stipulates that the arbitration analytical methods for determining the chemical composition of lead, arsenic, fluorine, cadmium, and mercury in copper concentrates shall be conducted in accordance with the provisions of GB/T 3884.5, GB/T 3884.6, GB/T 3884.7, GB/T 3884.9, and GB/T 3884.11.

22. Public Notice of the Selection of China’s Top 10 Copper Strip and Sheet Enterprises

On December 18, the China Nonferrous Metals Processing Industry Association announced the list of China’s Top 20 Aluminum Profile Manufacturers for Construction—comprising 23 companies (including 13 in the Top 10)—and the list of China’s Top 10 Copper Plate and Strip Manufacturers—comprising 10 companies (including 5 in the Top 5). The following is the list of China’s Top 10 Copper Plate and Strip Manufacturers, along with their rankings: 1. Anhui Chujiang New Materials Co., Ltd. and Ningbo Xingye Shengtai Group Co., Ltd. (tie); 3. Anhui Xinke Copper Co., Ltd.; 4. Zhongse Aobo Te Copper & Aluminum Co., Ltd.; 5. Ningbo Jintian Copper (Group) Co., Ltd.; 6. Tongling Jinwei Copper Co., Ltd.; 7. Anhui Zhongyuan New Materials Co., Ltd.; 8. Zhejiang Libo Industrial Co., Ltd.; 9. Jiangxi Jinpin Copper Technology Co., Ltd.; 10. Zhejiang Huayuan Copper Co., Ltd.