Operating Rates of Copper Billet Producers Pulled Back Slightly in April

[SMM Brass Billet News Flash] According to SMM, copper billet enterprises saw moderate order performance in early April, with orders from sectors such as home appliance heat dissipation and power supporting equipment sustaining production. However, entering late April, end-use demand from downstream weakened notably, compounded by multiple factors, resulting in insufficient production momentum among enterprises.

Rio Tinto is considering increasing its stake in the Los Azules copper project in Argentina. The project is regarded as one of the world’s largest undeveloped copper deposits and is expected to begin production in 2030, with average annual copper cathode output estimated at approximately 204,800 mt during its first five years of operation. Rio Tinto currently holds around 17.2% of project developer McEwen Copper through its Nuton venture, while Stellantis is also among the project’s key shareholders. Market attention remains focused on major mining companies continuing to strengthen investments in high-quality global copper resources.

[SMM Brass Billet News] From the perspective of enterprise scale, large enterprises maintained operating rates at a relatively high level of nearly 60%, supported by stable raw material channels, order resources, and capital advantages. Medium-sized enterprises recorded an operating rate of 43.74%, with production pace slowing down due to the dual pressures of order stability and raw material costs. Small enterprises, constrained by multiple factors including difficulties in raw material procurement, insufficient orders, and cost pressure, posted an operating rate of only 27.28%.