It was said from its chief negotiator on Saturday that China’s Tongling Nonferrous Metals Group has settled 2010 copper treatment and refining charges with BHP Billiton Ltd. at $46.50 a metric ton and 4.65 cents a pound.

“We have signed the agreement [for 2010] with BHP,” said Yang Jun, who also leads the China Smelters Purchase Team.

Tongling Nonferrous Metals Group is China’s second-largest copper smelter by output and the biggest purchaser of copper concentrate in annual contracts.