Bordeaux Mixture Technical Copper sulfate + lime · CAS 8011-63-0
The original copper fungicide, unchanged in principle since the 1880s — and the one product where buying a dry pre-blend rather than mixing on-farm is a safety decision as much as a convenience one.
Chelora Chemicals is a Bordeaux mixture supplier and sourcing partner serving registrants, distributors and formulators across the United States, with a batch COA, SDS and UN 3077 documentation on every consignment.
- CAS Number
- 8011-63-0
- Composition
- Copper sulfate + hydrated lime
- Product form
- Dry pre-blended technical
- Copper source
- Copper sulfate
- Role of the lime
- Raises pH, reduces phytotoxicity
- FRAC group
- M1 — multi-site contact
- Appearance
- Blue to blue-green powder
- Transport
- UN 3077 · Class 9 · PG III
- HS Code
- 3808 92
Note: the three numbers are pounds, pounds and gallons. A "10-10-100" Bordeaux means 10 lb copper sulfate, 10 lb hydrated lime and 100 gallons of water — not percentages, and not a ratio of actives. Traditional practice uses equal weights of copper sulfate and lime. CAS 8011-63-0 describes a mixture, not a single compound, so it tells you what the product is but nothing about the strength. Agree the ratio in writing.
Copper sulfate plus lime, and why the lime is there
Bordeaux is not a compound. It is a reaction product formed when copper sulfate meets hydrated lime — and the lime is doing real work.
Why it matters: the lime raises the pH and holds the copper in a sparingly soluble form — without it, free copper sulfate would scorch the crop
Why Bordeaux is still in use
Bordeaux mixture is copper sulfate combined with hydrated lime, and it is the oldest fungicide still in commercial agriculture — discovered in the Bordeaux vineyards in the 1880s and never really superseded for the jobs it does well. The lime is not a filler. It raises the pH and holds the copper in a sparingly soluble form that releases slowly, which is what makes the material tenacious in wet weather.
That rainfastness is its enduring advantage over the fixed coppers. Its drawbacks are equally real: it is more phytotoxic, which is why it is largely a dormant-season material rather than one for new growth; it is highly corrosive to spray equipment; it stains; it has fewer compatible tank mixes; and once mixed it begins losing effectiveness immediately, so it has to be used the same day.
Why a dry technical pre-blend exists
- On-farm preparation is hazardous. Handling copper sulfate stock solutions and lime is the dangerous part, and a pre-blend removes it.
- Ratio consistency. A hand-mixed batch varies; a blended product does not.
- Same-day rule still applies. Once in water it starts losing effectiveness — the pre-blend fixes preparation, not shelf life in the tank.
- The fixed coppers for comparison: copper hydroxide 50% WP and copper oxychloride 50% WP.
Handling character
Bordeaux mixture is a Class 9 dangerous good and is corrosive to equipment. Full detail is in the Safety section below.
| Parameter | Typical value |
|---|---|
| Appearance | Blue to blue-green powder |
| Copper sulfate content | Per agreed specification |
| Hydrated lime content | Per agreed specification |
| Copper as Cu | Per agreed specification |
| Moisture | Per grade specification |
| Particle size | Per agreed sieve specification |
Important: the figures above are indicative of commercial material and are offered for planning only. The batch certificate of analysis is the governing document.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Physical state | Blue to blue-green powder |
| Nature | Mixture, not a single compound |
| Mode of action | Multi-site contact; FRAC M1 |
| Tank stability | Use the same day once mixed |
| Rainfastness | Longer lasting than fixed coppers |
| Phytotoxicity | Higher than fixed coppers |
| Equipment | Highly corrosive; rinse thoroughly |
Characteristics compiled from public agricultural extension guidance on Bordeaux mixture. Because the product is a mixture rather than a single compound, its properties depend on the ratio and on preparation. Treat the table as orientation, not as a specification.
Where Bordeaux still earns its place
Dormant-season disease control, rainy conditions and organic programs.
Dormant-season disease control
Peach leaf curl, shot hole on stone fruit, bacterial blast and Phytophthora brown rot on citrus, and fire blight and walnut blight in spring.
- FRAC M1 multi-site
- Dormant timing is standard
- Label claims are registrant-specific
Wet-weather persistence
The lime holds copper in a slowly released, tenacious deposit, which is why Bordeaux outlasts the fixed coppers in rain.
- Rainfastness is the main advantage
- Ratio agreed in writing
- Same-day use once mixed
Resistance management & organic programs
FRAC M1 multi-site activity, and a copper sulfate basis that is accepted in many organic programs.
- Organic status sits with the registrant
- Read the crop protection guide
- Certifier approval is yours to obtain
Distributor & retail packing
Packed into retail units to your approved label artwork where you hold the product registration.
- Artwork to your registrant label
- Cartoned retail packs
- UN 3077 marking throughout
Registrant & repacker supply
Bulk supply of the dry technical pre-blend to registrants and repackers.
- 25 kg bags and bulk bags
- Ratio held across the contract
- Second source held in reserve
Import & FIFRA coordination
A pesticide import needs a Notice of Arrival on EPA Form 3540-1, and US sale or use needs an EPA-registered product.
- NOA coordination with your broker
- UN 3077 documentation prepared
- Registration remains yours
Delivered to US plants and ports
We ship Bordeaux mixture to nominated delivery points across the United States. The regions below are destinations we serve — Chelora Chemicals is a sourcing and supply partner, not a US manufacturer, and does not hold US stock.
Gulf Coast
The largest US chemical cluster, and the usual entry point for bulk consignments.
- Houston & Galveston, TX
- New Orleans & Baton Rouge, LA
- Mobile, AL
Northeast
Container and bulk delivery into the mid-Atlantic and New England manufacturing belt.
- Newark & Elizabeth, NJ
- Philadelphia, PA
- Boston, MA
Southeast
Port-side delivery for the Carolinas, Georgia and Florida processing plants.
- Savannah, GA
- Charleston, SC
- Jacksonville, FL & Norfolk, VA
Midwest & Great Lakes
Inland rail and truck forwarding from the nearest coastal port to the industrial Midwest.
- Chicago, IL
- Detroit, MI
- Cleveland & Columbus, OH
West Coast
Pacific routing for West Coast processors and formulators.
- Los Angeles & Long Beach, CA
- Oakland, CA
- Seattle & Tacoma, WA
Southwest & Mountain
Inland delivery to interior states, forwarded from the Gulf or Pacific gateway.
- Dallas–Fort Worth, TX
- Phoenix, AZ
- Denver, CO
Importing into the United States
Bordeaux mixture is a TSCA-regulated chemical substance. Under TSCA section 13 the importer of record, or its authorized agent, must certify to US Customs and Border Protection that each shipment either complies with TSCA or is not subject to it. We confirm the substance's TSCA Inventory status and agree in writing who files that certification before the first consignment moves.
Which party carries that duty follows the Incoterm. On FOB, CFR or CIF terms it is usually the US buyer; on DDP terms it can be the seller or its agent. Safety data sheets and labels are supplied to OSHA's updated Hazard Communication Standard, and the UN 3077 Class 9 transport documentation is prepared before booking.
| Item | How it works |
|---|---|
| Delivery points | Any nominated US plant, terminal or port of discharge |
| Incoterms quoted | FOB · CFR · CIF · DDP |
| Importer of record | Agreed in writing before the first shipment |
| TSCA certification | Section 13 positive certification filed at entry |
| Documentation | Batch COA, SDS, packing list, certificate of origin |
| Pack formats | 25 kg bags or retail packs |
Note: regional coverage describes where we deliver, not where we hold inventory. Lead time depends on producer scheduling and ocean transit to your nominated US port — we confirm both in the quotation.
How we supply Bordeaux mixture
Chelora Chemicals is a Bordeaux mixture supplier and sourcing partner, not a manufacturer. The thing to settle before quoting is the ratio, because CAS 8011-63-0 describes a mixture and tells you nothing about strength.
We place your order with whichever qualified producer best matches your specification, your price point and your delivery window, and settle the FIFRA and import position before booking.
We will also tell you when a fixed copper is the better product. If you are spraying into new growth, Bordeaux is the wrong tool — it is more phytotoxic than copper hydroxide or copper oxychloride, and that is a crop-damage risk, not a preference.
- The ratio agreed in writing before quoting. CAS 8011-63-0 is a mixture CAS; it identifies the product but says nothing about copper sulfate to lime proportions or copper strength.
- We will steer you to a fixed copper where that is right. Bordeaux is more phytotoxic and belongs in the dormant season; for new growth, copper hydroxide or oxychloride is the safer product.
- Equipment corrosion flagged up front. Extension guidance recommends rinsing spray equipment at least three times, with a little vinegar in the rinse water to neutralize the high-pH residue.
- Same-day use made explicit. Once mixed, Bordeaux begins losing effectiveness immediately — a pre-blend fixes the preparation hazard, not tank life.
- UN 3077 documentation prepared before booking. Class 9 on aquatic toxicity grounds; the paperwork is not optional.
- FIFRA position settled honestly. A pesticide product must itself be EPA-registered for US sale or use. We coordinate; we do not register.
Bagged or in retail packs
25 kg bags, bulk bags or retail packs — all to UN 3077 marking and labeling requirements.
25 kg poly-lined bags
Moisture-barrier bags on stretch-wrapped pallets, UN-marked, the standard commercial unit.
1 kg · 5 kg sealed packs
Small sealed packs in cartons to your approved label artwork where you hold the registration.
500–1,000 kg bulk bags
Liner-fitted bulk bags for repacking operations and large-scale distribution.
Fiber drums
Sealed fiber drums where extra moisture protection or extended storage is needed.
Incoterms to suit you
Quoted on the Incoterm your purchasing team works to, with dangerous goods documentation filed before booking.
Trial / sample quantities
Small packs dispatched for mixing, suspension and crop safety trials before a commercial order.
Class 9, corrosive and phytotoxic — all three matter
Bordeaux mixture carries three separate cautions that the fixed coppers do not all share: it is very toxic to aquatic life, which drives the Class 9 transport classification; it is highly corrosive to spray equipment; and it is more phytotoxic than the fixed coppers. The summary below is orientation only — the safety data sheet supplied with your specific batch is the authoritative document.
Classified hazards
H302Harmful if swallowed.H315Causes skin irritation.H318Causes serious eye damage.H410Very toxic to aquatic life with long lasting effects.
Three practical cautions from agricultural extension guidance. First, phytotoxicity: applying Bordeaux to newly growing leaves can injure new growth, which is why it is principally a dormant-season material. Second, equipment corrosion: it is highly corrosive, and guidance is to rinse spray equipment at least three times with a little vinegar added to neutralize the high-pH residue. Third, same-day use: once mixed it begins losing effectiveness immediately. Dry ingredients also need a tank with mechanical agitation, as bypass agitation is usually inadequate. On US registration the ordinary FIFRA rule applies — the product must itself be EPA-registered for sale or use here, and imports need a Notice of Arrival on EPA Form 3540-1.
Storage
Store the dry pre-blend in sealed, moisture-barrier packaging in a cool, dry, well-ventilated area away from food, seed and feedstuffs. Keep dry: the blend cakes if it takes up moisture, and the lime fraction carbonates on exposure to air. Bunded or contained storage is advised because of the aquatic hazard.
Handling
Handle with dust control, impervious gloves and tight-fitting eye protection; the material causes serious eye damage and is harmful if swallowed. Extension guidance notes that copper sulfate and stock solutions are very toxic and corrosive and should be stored in clearly labeled containers. Prevent any release to drains or watercourses. Follow the exposure controls set out in the batch SDS.
Transport
Bordeaux mixture is classified as dangerous goods for transport on the basis of aquatic toxicity, normally shipped as UN 3077, Environmentally hazardous substance, solid, n.o.s., Class 9, Packing Group III. Marked and labeled packaging, a dangerous goods declaration and compliant documentation are required. We confirm and document the classification for your specific grade, packaging and destination before booking.
Every batch, documented
We verify documentation before dispatch so there are no surprises at your incoming-goods bench.
Specification agreed
Copper content basis, crystal form, shade, particle size and moisture confirmed against your requirement before order placement.
Producer batch testing
The producing plant tests each batch against the agreed specification before release.
Documentation review
COA, SDS, TSCA or FIFRA position and UN 3077 dangerous goods paperwork checked by our desk before the shipment is booked.
Traceable dispatch
Each shipment is traceable to its producing batch, with full chain-of-custody records on request.
How Bordeaux mixture works
Bordeaux is not a manufactured compound so much as a controlled reaction. Copper sulfate dissolved in water is acidic and, on its own, would scorch foliage. Adding hydrated lime raises the pH and precipitates the copper as a sparingly soluble basic copper sulfate — a deposit that clings to the plant surface and releases copper ions slowly as moisture and plant exudates act on it.
That slow release is the point. It gives Bordeaux its characteristic persistence in wet weather, better than the fixed coppers, which is why a century of alternatives has not displaced it from dormant-season programs. The cost is that the deposit is coarse, visible and more aggressive to young tissue, which is why the same property that makes it tenacious also makes it phytotoxic.
A dry technical pre-blend exists because the traditional on-farm preparation is the hazardous part — handling concentrated copper sulfate stock solution and lime, in sequence, in the right order. Getting the order wrong matters: extension guidance notes that adding lime first leaves the water alkaline and the copper will not dissolve. A pre-blend removes that step, though it does not change the rule that the mixed spray must be used the same day.
We do not publish operating process parameters here; this is background only. Full technical documentation accompanies every shipment, and any process-specific detail you need is best confirmed directly with our technical desk.
| Nature | Mixture, not a single compound |
|---|---|
| Components | Copper sulfate + hydrated lime |
| Numbering | lb copper sulfate – lb lime – gal water |
| Main advantage | Rainfastness and persistence |
| Main drawbacks | Phytotoxic, corrosive, stains |
| Tank rule | Use the same day once mixed |
The copper range and related inorganics
The other copper chemistries and the acids and salts supplied from the same desk.
Bordeaux mixture, answered
What is Bordeaux mixture?
What do the three numbers mean?
Why buy a dry technical pre-blend instead of mixing on farm?
How does Bordeaux compare with fixed coppers?
When should Bordeaux not be used?
How long does mixed Bordeaux keep?
Is it corrosive to spray equipment?
Is Bordeaux mixture allowed in organic production?
What does CAS 8011-63-0 actually tell me?
Do you supply Bordeaux mixture in the United States?
Get a quote on Bordeaux mixture
Tell us the copper sulfate to lime ratio and the copper strength you need — CAS 8011-63-0 identifies the product but not its composition — along with pack format and US delivery point. If you are spraying into new growth we will say so and quote a fixed copper instead.