Di Yi Cai Jing·2025-09-26 13:37Group 1 - The copper smelting industry in China is facing "involution" competition, leading to persistently low copper concentrate processing fees, which has become a major discussion point at the recent meeting of the China Nonferrous Metals Industry Association [1] - The association has reported to relevant national departments, suggesting strict control over the expansion of copper smelting capacity, with measures expected to be implemented soon [1] - The processing fee for copper concentrate, which includes smelting and refining costs, has been under pressure, with both long-term and spot prices at historical lows, significantly impacting the profitability of smelting operations [1] Group 2 - Northern Copper Industry, the largest cathode copper supplier in North China, reported a decline in copper concentrate processing fees, with spot processing fees dropping to -40 USD/ton by the end of June [2] - Major companies like Tongling Nonferrous Metals experienced a 33.94% year-on-year decline in net profit, marking the first drop in five years, while Northern Copper's profit growth was only 5.85%, far below previous year's growth [2] - The gross profit margin for copper products has decreased across leading companies, with margins ranging from 1.9% to 8.2%, significantly affecting overall revenue as this segment accounts for over 70% of total income [2] Group 3 - The continuous low processing fees are primarily due to tightening copper concentrate supply, with a shift from surplus to shortage expected as global mining companies reduce future production guidance [3] - China's smelting capacity has been growing at a much faster rate than raw material supply, leading to increased supply-demand conflicts, with domestic smelting capacity growth around 15% as of July [3] - The combination of reduced production guidance from major copper mines and increasing demand from emerging industries like photovoltaics and electric vehicles is expected to keep copper concentrate supply tight, further lowering processing fees [3] Group 4 - Analysts noted that the tightening supply of copper ore is becoming more pronounced, with the surplus of electrolytic copper flowing to the U.S., exacerbating tensions in other regions [4] - Companies are responding to the low processing fees and raw material shortages by focusing on cost reduction and increasing the profitability of by-products [4] - Yunnan Copper reported a 24% year-on-year increase in net profit, attributing this to cost-cutting measures and increased contributions from by-products like sulfuric acid, which saw a significant rise in gross margin [4]