Copper Market Stays Subdued Amid Peak Season: Prices Weaken, Spot Deals Limp with Average Discount Rising

Anax Metals has launched a heap-leach feasibility study at its Whim Creek copper-zinc project in Western Australia, assessing a second processing route alongside its planned concentrator. Recent CSIRO column tests achieved 77–80% copper extraction and more than 90% zinc extraction from lower-grade ores. The study, targeted for completion in Q1 2027, will evaluate the potential production and marketing of copper cathode from the existing permitted heap-leach and SX-EW infrastructure.

Korea Zinc said its affiliate KZAM has been mass-producing battery copper foil since June and has begun supplying a global battery customer, marking its first commercial shipments. The material will be used in batteries manufactured in North America, with expected revenue of up to KRW40 billion. Korea Zinc also confirmed an integrated recycling chain in which e-waste collected by its U.S. subsidiary Pedal Point is processed at the Onsan smelter into recycled copper, which is then used as feedstock for KZAM's battery-grade copper foil.