Nautica Metal Scrap B.V. publishes indicative LME discount bands for the main copper scrap grades. Actual CIF or FOB offers are quoted within 24 hours of RFQ and lock the LME 3-month Grade A reference at the agreed quotation date — but these bands give buyers a working benchmark for budgeting and comparison.
Rotterdam Loading
SGS Inspection
MOQ 1× 20GP
CIF / FOB Global
Millberry — bare bright 99.95% Cu wire — trades at the tightest discount to LME because it is the closest scrap form to cathode. Indicative discount band: $250–$450/MT below LME 3M Grade A. Tighter end of the band: multi-container parcels to nearby destinations (Mersin, Mundra). Wider end: single 20GP to distant ports (Busan, Tianjin) with full inspection package.
Berry — clean unalloyed copper wire under 1/16 inch — discount band $350–$550/MT below LME 3M. Slightly wider than Millberry because the smaller gauge gives marginally lower density and a small recovery penalty at the refiner. Common destinations: Indian refiners, Turkish brass mills, Korean rod plants.
Birch (#1 heavy copper, 96% Cu) and Cliff (#2 mixed copper, 94% Cu) trade at $500–$800/MT below LME 3M. The wider discount captures recovery loss on tinned/lacquered surfaces and the smaller buyer pool — Birch/Cliff suits secondary refiners and brass mills with the metallurgy to handle 4–6% impurity content.
Insulated copper wire is priced on contained copper, not gross weight: price = (LME 3M Cu × recovery %) − processing discount of $300–$600/MT. Houses Wire #1 typically contracts at 65–70% recovery; Druid #2 at 50–60%; mixed telephone wire at 40–45%. Discharge-port verification typically allows ±2% tolerance on recovery before credit/charge adjustments.
LME Grade A cathodes (Cu-CATH-1 99.99% Cu) trade at a PREMIUM over LME because they are physical delivery-grade metal: $80–$220/MT CIF Asia depending on brand, packaging, tonnage and destination. The premium is set by physical demand at the discharge market, not by scrap discount mechanics.
Five drivers: (1) LME absolute level — discounts widen slightly when LME spikes because buyers tighten budgets; (2) freight rates — Rotterdam-to-Asia container rates have ranged $80–250/MT over 2024–2026; (3) cathode premium in the destination market — when cathode premium is high, scrap discount narrows as buyers substitute; (4) Chinese scrap import quota policy; (5) buyer-specific factors — tonnage, payment terms, inspection complexity.
These bands are indicative for budgeting and comparison, not firm quotes. For a firm offer, send RFQ specifying grade, tonnage, destination, payment terms and quotation period. We respond within 24 hours with a written CIF/FOB offer locked to the LME 3M Grade A reference at offer time. Bands published here are reviewed quarterly.
Over the last 12 months, Millberry CIF Nhava Sheva discount has ranged $280–$410 as freight from Rotterdam to West India has oscillated with Red Sea routing decisions. Berry CIF Mersin has ranged $380–$520. Houses Wire #1 recovery-priced contracts to Busan have ranged $4,500–$5,800/MT in absolute terms, driven by LME absolute level changes from $7,800 to $9,400/MT.
Buyers can hedge LME exposure but the discount itself is illiquid. The way to lock the discount is to sign a Nautica frame contract committing to monthly tonnage at a named discount band — we then guarantee the band across the contract life subject to a force-majeure clause for freight market dislocations beyond a defined threshold.
Indices are useful for context but a firm offer is always sharper than a band. Send your RFQ — we return a written offer within 24 hours with the full LME-linked math and the exact discount your specific RFQ qualifies for.
Bare bright 99.95% Cu, tightest discount
Clean unalloyed wire <1/16 inch
#1 heavy copper 96% Cu
#2 mixed copper 94% Cu
LME 3M × 65–70% recovery − $300–$600 processing
LME Grade A premium, not discount
Primary loading from Rotterdam, Antwerp. Weekly container sailings to Asia, the Middle East, Africa and the Americas.
Every Nautica offer is benchmarked through our LME pricing center and explained in plain language in how LME scrap pricing works. Copper buyers should pair this with the copper scrap price index, and aluminium buyers with the aluminium scrap price index.
Live LME-linked discounts apply to flagship grades from our European copper scrap supplier and our UBC scrap supplier in the Netherlands, with grade tolerances defined in copper scrap grades explained and aluminium scrap grades explained.
Send your quantity, destination port and Incoterm. We reply with a CIF/FOB offer, full specification sheet and export documentation list.
Contact our sales team for competitive pricing, bulk orders, and customized solutions.MOQ: 25 MT | Monthly Capacity: 20,000 MT