Copper Price Calculator
Price source: COMEX copper price from Gold-API.com, converted from $/lb to $/t, with the front-month CME futures price (via Yahoo Finance) as a fallback. Prices are cached by our server and CDN, so they can lag the market by up to about an hour. How we check accuracy
How copper is priced
Copper has two main benchmarks. The London Metal Exchange quotes Grade A cathode in US dollars per tonne (25-tonne lots). CME copper futures (HG) quote US cents or dollars per pound, 25,000 lb per contract.
This calculator shows the price per tonne. 1 tonne = 2,204.62262 lb, so $/t = $/lb × 2,204.62262.
Exchange prices are for refined cathode. Scrap and finished products trade at a discount or premium to them.
Worked examples
- COMEX $/lb to $/tonne
- $4.50/lb × 2,204.62262 = $9,920.80 per tonne.
- Value of 1 kg
- At $9,900 per tonne, 1 kg = $9,900 ÷ 1,000 = $9.90.
Prices in examples are illustrative; use the calculator above for the current price.
Common pitfalls
- COMEX and LME prices can differ by several percent for long periods because of import tariffs, freight costs and local stock levels. Check which one a quote refers to.
- Scrap yards pay a fraction of the exchange price that depends on grade ("bare bright", #1, #2, insulated wire) and local demand.
- US quotes in cents per pound are often written without the cents sign: "450" means $4.50/lb.
Weights used for copper
Precious metals are priced in troy ounces; everyday scales use avoirdupois ounces and pounds.
| Unit | Grams | Troy ounces |
|---|---|---|
| 1 gram | 1 | 0.03215 |
| 1 troy ounce | 31.1034768 | 1 |
| 1 ounce (avoirdupois) | 28.3495231 | 0.91146 |
| 1 tola | 11.6638038 | 0.375 |
| 1 pound (avoirdupois) | 453.59237 | 14.58333 |
| 1 kilogram | 1,000 | 32.15075 |
Frequently asked questions
What unit is copper priced in?
This calculator uses US dollars per metric tonne (1,000 kg). One tonne is 1,000 kg or 2,204.62262 lb, so divide by 2,204.62262 for the price per pound.
Sources
- NIST Handbook 44, Appendix C: General Tables of Units of Measurement — NIST
- LME Copper — London Metal Exchange
- Copper futures (HG) contract specifications — CME Group
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