Refining charges (RCs) for imported blister copper continued to climb in China in March on ample stocks and softened demand for refined copper.
The RC for 98-99% blister copper rose to $230- $250 per tonne on a cif basis on Thursday March 29, with spot deals of African brands reported to be close to $240 per tonne. This compared with the blister copper RC assessment of $200-$210 per tonne a month ago when Metal Bulletin launched its monthly tracker of the increasingly popular intermediate product in refined copper production. The assessment range has also widened from February, with the highest bid from a Chinese refining plant reaching $270 per tonne - almost on par with the RC for domestic blister copper of 1,700-2,000...