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Freeport might export up to 900,000 metric tons of Grasberg copper concentrate in 2nd half

FreeportMcMoRan is preparing to ship as much as 900,000 metric tons of copper concentrate starting in June from its Grasberg mine after positive talks with Indonesia to extend its export licence, 2 sources with knowledge of the situation stated.

An Indonesian minister urged the government last week to permit the U.S. copper giant to keep shipping copper concentrate from the mine it runs at Grasberg in Indonesia after its current licence expires at the end of May.

Exports of copper concentrate, produced from crushing mined ore, in the second half would help smelters dealing with lacks.

Copper prices hit two-year highs at $10,208 a ton last week, a gain of more than 20% up until now this year, driven in part by major Chinese smelters planning to cut output after interruptions to mine, supply such as those at First Quantum's. Cobre mine in Panama.

Freeport is talking with customers about selling. Grasberg output in the second half this year, according to 3. sources, showing the company's confidence the government will. enable continued exports.

Preliminary industrial discussions on sales of Grasberg output. were kept in Santiago, Chile, on the sidelines of a market. conference in mid-April, two of the sources stated.

Freeport did not react to ask for comment through e-mail. and phone.

The sources asked not to be called due to the fact that they were not. authorised to speak with the media.

INDONESIAN RESTRICTION

Indonesia banned basic material exports in 2020 to attempt to. force companies to improve minerals in the nation, adding worth. to its exports. Miners have actually needed to get export quotas when. their smelters and refineries are under building.

Freeport has stated that banning exports of Grasberg. focuses output could cause a loss of $2 billion in. incomes for Jakarta.

The company's Manyar smelter is due to be completed this. month, however it may use up to 6 months to reach complete capability,. indicating it will not have the ability to process all of the concentrate. produced by Grasberg, the world's second largest active copper. mine.

The quantity of concentrate readily available for export might amount. to in between 500,000 to 900,000 heaps from June up until about. November, the sources said.

Freeport was enabled to export 1.7 million tons of. concentrate from Indonesia in between late July 2023 and when the. export licence ends in May, it said in a filing in 2015.

The release of Grasberg's output could cause an increase in. treatment charges (TC), costs paid by miners to smelters for. converting raw materials into metal. Miners typically can. negotiate lower prices when traders and smelters need to compete. for concentrate because materials are low.

The copper concentrate market is anticipated to be in deficit. for the next three years.

Recently, TCs, likewise a tracker of mined copper availability,. turned unfavorable. According to price rating company Fastmarkets,. treatment charges turned unfavorable in April for the very first time. considering that 2013.

That compares with annual 2024 benchmark TCs settled between. Chinese smelters and Antofagasta at $80 per ton.

The current ' poll revealed analysts see a copper. deficit of 125,000 tons in 2024, more than triple the deficit of. 35,000 heaps anticipated in the January poll and compared to a. surplus of 302,500 lots expected late last year.