Copper Lot Sizes and Minimum Order Quantities: What You Can Actually Buy
A container, a part-vessel lot, or a monthly programme. The right first order is usually smaller than a seller suggests and larger than a buyer expects.
· 5 min read
The units the trade uses
Physical copper moves in a small number of standard configurations, and knowing which one you are asking for makes an enquiry legible to a supplier. A 20-foot container holds roughly 20 to 25 metric tonnes of cathode or bagged concentrate — the weight limit binds long before the volume does. Part-vessel lots run from a few hundred to a few thousand tonnes. Full-vessel shipments start in the low tens of thousands.
Pricing is quoted per metric tonne throughout, on a dry basis for concentrate. "Lot size" in a copper context means the contracted shipment quantity, not an exchange contract unit.
- 20ft container
- ~20–25 MT cathode or bagged concentrate
- Trial shipment
- 1 container, or 100–500 MT part-vessel
- Part-vessel lot
- Several hundred to a few thousand MT
- Monthly programme
- Commonly 500–3,000 MT per month
Typical minimums by product
Minimums are commercial rather than technical, and they vary widely by supplier, so treat these as the range you will encounter rather than a rule:
- Copper cathodes: trial lots from around 25 MT (one container); part-vessel from 100–500 MT; programmes typically 500–3,000 MT per month.
- Copper concentrate: usually 100 MT and up, with bulk-vessel lots substantially larger; bagged container shipments are possible but less efficient.
- Copper wire and scrap: commonly from 25 MT, one container, since grading risk makes larger unverified first lots unattractive to both sides.
Why sellers push for larger first orders
Suppliers prefer volume because the fixed costs of a transaction — inspection, documentation, banking, logistics coordination — are much the same whether the shipment is 25 tonnes or 2,500. A small first lot is proportionally expensive to execute.
That is a legitimate commercial position, but it should not push a first-time buyer into a tonnage they are not ready to fund or verify. A supplier who will only discuss 5,000 MT with a counterparty they have never traded with is either very large or not serious, and it is worth establishing which.
How to size a first transaction
The sensible first order is the smallest one that is commercially viable for both sides and that you can fund, inspect and receive without strain. A single container of cathode lets you test the supplier, the inspection process, the documentation and the logistics chain for a fraction of the exposure of a part-vessel lot.
If the relationship works, tonnage scales quickly. If it does not, you have learned that on 25 tonnes rather than 2,500.
Questions Buyers Ask
What is a typical copper lot size?
A 20-foot container holds roughly 20 to 25 metric tonnes. Part-vessel lots run from a few hundred to a few thousand tonnes, and monthly supply programmes are commonly 500 to 3,000 MT. Pricing is quoted per metric tonne throughout.
What is the minimum order quantity for copper cathodes?
Trial shipments commonly start at one container, around 25 MT, or a part-vessel lot of 100 to 500 MT. Longer-term programmes are usually structured in monthly lots of 500 to 3,000 MT. The workable minimum depends on the supplier and the delivery terms.
Should my first order be small?
Generally yes. A single container lets you test the supplier, inspection, documentation and logistics at a fraction of the exposure. Tonnage scales quickly once the relationship is proven.
