RPT-FACTBOX-China's strategic commodity purchases

Following is a list of commodity purchases planned by China's state and commercial reserves.

The list includes purchases and planned purchases by the State Reserves Bureau and by Yunnan Province, which has launched its own drive to buy up metals.

The SRB is buying directly to replenish state reserves that typically are stored for an unknown length of time.

Yunnan has invited local companies to arrange bank loans, mortgaged on their metals stockpiles, to fund the one-year stock-building plan. The province has offered to subsidise their interest payments and storing costs.

INDIUM

Volume - The SRB has bought 30 tonnes so far. Smelter sources expect further purchases in the future.

Sellers - A large Chinese smelter, according to a trade source.

Status - 30 tonnes bought in Dec, according to one smelter source.

ALUMINIUM

Volume - The SRB has agreed to buy 290,000 tonnes. Several sources have said it could buy up to one million tonnes within months. Yunnan could store up to 300,000 tonnes until the end of 2009.

Sellers - For national reserves, 150,000 tonnes from Chalco , and 20,000 from each of seven other state-controlled smelters, named by one industry source as Shanxi Guanlu, Yunnan Aluminium, Henan Shenhuo, Qingtongxia, Huolinhe, Henan Wanji and Qinghai Qiaotou.

For Yunnan reserves, Yunnan Aluminium plans to put out 160,000 tonnes.

Status - 290,000 tonnes bought for national reserves in December. Yunnan to start purchases for provincial reserves.

TIN

Volume - Up to 100,000 tonnes by Yunnan province.

Sellers - Yunnan Tin.

Status - Yunnan Tin proposed to sell the province 30,000 tonnes of tin ingots last week.

COPPER

Volume - For SRB, not decided yet. One smelter source said in December it could buy at least 700,000 tonnes. Up to 150,000 tonnes by Yunnan.

Sellers - Possible 400,000 tonnes from Jiangxi Copper, according to the smelter source, though Jiangxi Copper's spokesman said the firm had not received the request. Yunnan to buy from Yunnan Copper.

Status - Yunnan Copper has proposed to sell 2,000 tonnes of refined copper to province.

LEAD

Volume - Up to 150,000 tonnes by Yunnan.

Sellers - Yunnan Chihong Zinc.

Status - Chihong has not decided whether it would participate or the amount it wants to sell.

ZINC

Volume - SRB expected to buy 300,000 tonnes, an official at one zinc smelter said in December. Yunnan could also buy up to 300,000 tonnes.

Sellers - Yunnan to buy from Yunnan Luping Zinc and Yunnan Chihong Zinc.

Status - Negotiations started on sales for national reserves.

SUGAR

Volume - 800,000 tonnes. Further 400,000 by Guangxi, according to sources.

Sellers - Domestic refiners.

Status - 500,000 tonnes to be bought on Jan 9, the rest on Feb 18.

SOYBEANS

Volume - 3 million tonnes approved, more expected.

Sellers - Direct from farmers, many in Heilongjiang.

CORN

Volume - 30 million tonnes.

Status - The first batch of 5 million tonnes already bought out of earlier approved 10 million tonnes; additional 20 million tonnes announced in Dec.

China has also increased buying of rice, rapeseed and cotton.

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