What we do
Selling copper concentrate into China is not a commodity transaction. Treatment and refining charges shift quarter by quarter, smelter capacity changes, payment terms get tested, and the Chinese Smelters Purchase Team (CSPT) sets benchmarks that ripple through the entire market. Mines that sell well are not necessarily the largest — they are the ones with the most reliable counterparties, the cleanest documentation and the right people picking up the phone in Shanghai.
Thornfield works directly with African concentrate producers — typically small-to-mid scale operations producing 5,000 to 80,000 tonnes per annum — to structure and execute offtake into Chinese smelters. We are the working interface between mine management, Chinese smelter purchasing teams, traders, surveyors and freight forwarders.
Scope of engagement
- Counterparty selection — shortlisting credible Chinese smelters (CSPT members and qualified independents) by current capacity, concentrate profile fit and payment behaviour
- Commercial structuring — TC/RC benchmarking, payment terms, quotational periods, penalty schedules, demurrage and laytime
- Assay and quality alignment — bridging mine assay practice with Chinese smelter intake standards, umpire arrangements, moisture and impurity handling
- Term vs spot positioning — advising on contract tenor, volume splits and timing against CSPT benchmark cycles
- Logistics coordination — port selection, bagging vs bulk, certification, vessel scheduling
- Negotiation execution — Mandarin-language commercial discussions, term-sheet drafting, dispute mediation
Typical engagement profile
A mine in Zambia, the DRC or Tanzania produces concentrate at a grade and impurity profile that needs the right smelter match. Western traders bid, but margins are thin and relationships are transactional. We are engaged to open a direct dialogue with one to three Chinese smelters, run the commercial negotiation, and bring back a term sheet the mine board can sign. We are paid by the mining-side client — typically a fixed retainer plus a success fee against transaction value.
Who this is for
- Small-to-mid scale African copper concentrate producers seeking direct Chinese smelter offtake
- Mining investors and lenders requiring offtake validation as part of project finance
- Trading houses needing structured access into CSPT-side relationships for specific tonnages