Copper Oxychloride Technical COC Technical · Cu₂(OH)₃Cl · CAS 1332-65-6
The technical feedstock, not the finished formulation — the material WP formulators and feed-mineral producers buy by the tonne, where crystal form and caking behavior matter more than the headline copper figure.
Chelora Chemicals is a copper oxychloride technical supplier and sourcing partner serving formulators and feed-mineral producers across the United States, with a batch COA, SDS and UN 3077 documentation on every consignment.
- CAS Number
- 1332-65-6
- Chemical name
- Dicopper chloride trihydroxide
- Molecular formula
- Cu₂(OH)₃Cl
- Molecular weight
- 213.57 g/mol
- Copper content (as Cu)
- 56–59%
- Crystal form
- Alpha — atacamite
- Appearance
- Green crystalline powder
- Transport
- UN 3077 · Class 9 · PG III
- HS Code
- 2827 41
Note: crystal form is the specification buyers forget. Controlled precipitation gives the alpha form, which is what you want. Deviate from those conditions and you get the beta form, which cakes in storage and will cost you a bagging line. Theoretical copper content is 59.5%; commercial technical runs 56 to 59%. Specify the form, not just the assay.
From etchant to technical copper oxychloride
The dominant industrial route neutralizes spent cupric chloride etching liquor — a recovery process, not a primary synthesis.
Why it matters: the feedstock is a recovered waste stream, so technical copper oxychloride pricing tracks copper scrap and PCB etchant availability as much as it tracks refined copper
What copper oxychloride technical is used for
Copper oxychloride technical is a green crystalline powder, Cu₂(OH)₃Cl, carrying 56 to 59% copper as metal. It is not a finished product. It is the feedstock that gets milled, wetted and blended into wettable powders and granules, or sized and sold as a feed trace mineral.
Two markets take most of it. Crop protection formulators convert it into the 35% and 50% WP fungicides used worldwide on citrus, grapes, coffee, tea, potatoes and vegetables. Feed mineral producers sell it as tribasic copper chloride, or TBCC, where it is a more stable copper source than copper sulfate — it causes less oxidative loss of vitamins in a feed premix and handles better.
What the specification actually controls
- Copper as Cu, 56–59%. The headline figure. Theoretical maximum for the pure compound is 59.5%.
- Alpha crystal form. The commercially desired polymorph. The beta form cakes in storage and jams handling equipment.
- Particle size. Feed-mineral service wants a free-flowing, non-dusty 30–100 µm powder; WP formulation wants grindability.
- The formulations built from it: 35% WP and 50% WP.
Handling character
Copper oxychloride is a Class 9 dangerous good on aquatic toxicity grounds — unlike most of our inorganic range. Full detail is in the Safety section below.
| Parameter | Typical value |
|---|---|
| Appearance | Green crystalline powder |
| Copper as Cu | 56.0–59.0% |
| Crystal form | Alpha (atacamite) predominant |
| Moisture | Per grade specification |
| Water insolubles | Balance — compound is water-insoluble |
| 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 | Green crystalline solid |
| Molecular weight | 213.57 g/mol |
| Density | 3.5 g/cm³ |
| Melting point | ≈ 250 °C |
| Water solubility | Insoluble |
| Organic solvents | Insoluble |
| Polymorphs | Atacamite · paratacamite · clinoatacamite · botallackite |
Physical constants compiled from public reference data for CAS 1332-65-6 and rounded for readability. The compound exists in four crystal polymorphs differing in color and stability, which is why shade and form are specified separately from assay. Treat the table as orientation, not as a specification.
Where US industry uses the technical grade
Formulation feedstock, feed trace minerals, pigments and catalysis.
WP & WG fungicide formulation
The largest use. Milled and blended into wettable powders and water-dispersible granules at 35% and 50% copper loadings.
- Grindability confirmed per lot
- Alpha form specified
- See the 50% WP page
TBCC feed trace minerals
Sold as tribasic copper chloride, a more stable copper source than copper sulfate, with less oxidative loss of vitamins in premix.
- Free-flowing 30–100 µm powder
- Low dusting specification
- Feed-grade documentation on request
Pigments & colorants
A green to blue-green colorant for glass, ceramics and glazes, where the crystal form sets the shade.
- Shade matched to retained sample
- Blue grade available
- Low iron on request
Catalysis
A catalyst in chlorination and oxidation chemistry, where surface area and form matter more than bulk assay.
- Particle size to specification
- Consistent crystal form
- Technical desk review on request
Import & compliance coordination
Pesticide actives face FIFRA and Notice of Arrival requirements on import. Technical grade for non-pesticidal use does not — the distinction matters.
- End use confirmed before quoting
- UN 3077 documentation prepared
- Broker coordination on request
Contract & scheduled supply
Formulation plants run seasonal campaigns against a spray calendar, so contracted tonnage with call-off scheduling matters.
- Annual contracts with call-off
- Price held across the contract
- Second source held in reserve
Delivered to US plants and ports
We ship copper oxychloride technical 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
Copper oxychloride technical 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 bulk bags |
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 copper oxychloride technical
Chelora Chemicals is a copper oxychloride supplier and sourcing partner, not a manufacturer. On the technical grade the three things that decide whether a lot runs clean are copper assay, crystal form and particle size — and the second one is the one that gets left off purchase orders and then cakes in your silo.
We place your order with whichever qualified producer best matches your specification, your price point and your delivery window, and confirm the US import and FIFRA position before booking rather than after.
We keep a second qualified source on this line, so a single-plant disruption never becomes your formulation schedule problem.
- Crystal form specified, not assumed. Alpha form is what you want; beta cakes in storage. We hold the form on the order and the COA states it.
- Copper basis stated unambiguously. We quote copper as Cu, with the compound percentage alongside it, so there is no confusion between the two bases.
- Particle size agreed up front. A feed premix blender and a WP grinding mill want opposite things from the same compound.
- UN 3077 documentation prepared before booking. This is a Class 9 dangerous good on aquatic toxicity grounds and the paperwork is not optional.
- FIFRA position settled honestly. We confirm whether your end use makes this a pesticide import requiring a Notice of Arrival, and we do not hold or lend registrations.
- Batch traceability to the producing plant. Full chain of custody documentation on request.
Bagged or bulk bagged
25 kg bags, bulk bags or fiber drums — all to UN 3077 marking and labeling requirements.
25 kg poly-lined bags
Moisture-barrier bags on stretch-wrapped pallets, UN-marked, the standard unit for formulation plants.
500–1,000 kg bulk bags
Liner-fitted bulk bags for high-volume formulation and feed-mineral blending lines.
Fiber or steel drums
Sealed drums where extra moisture protection or extended storage is needed.
Small sealed units
Smaller sealed units for laboratory, pilot and formulation development work.
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 formulation, grindability and shade trials before a commercial order.
A Class 9 dangerous good - the aquatic hazard drives it
Copper oxychloride is moderately hazardous by ingestion and inhalation, and the classification that governs its logistics is aquatic toxicity. It is very toxic to aquatic life with long-lasting effects, which is what makes it a Class 9 dangerous good rather than an unregulated solid. The summary below is orientation only - the safety data sheet supplied with your specific batch is the authoritative document.
Classified hazards
H302Harmful if swallowed.H332Harmful if inhaled.H315Causes skin irritation.H410Very toxic to aquatic life with long lasting effects.
US registration and import, stated plainly. Copper oxychloride is an EPA-recognized pesticide active ingredient (PC code 023501) covered by the agency's copper reregistration decision, and a technical grade product appears in EPA's product label system. That is not the same as a licence to sell or apply a formulated product here: under FIFRA a pesticide product must itself be EPA-registered for US sale or use, that registration sits with the registrant and never with a raw material supplier, and an imported pesticide requires a Notice of Arrival, EPA Form 3540-1, filed with Customs. We supply material and documentation and will coordinate with your broker; we do not hold registrations and we will not tell you that you can apply unregistered material.
Storage
Store in sealed original packaging in a cool, dry, well-ventilated area, away from food, seed and feedstuffs, and away from strong acids. Keep off the floor and protect from moisture: damp material cakes, and the beta crystal form cakes more readily than the alpha form. Bunded or contained storage is advised because of the aquatic hazard.
Handling
Handle with dust control, impervious gloves, eye protection and respiratory protection where dust is generated; the material is harmful if swallowed or inhaled and irritates skin. Wash hands and face after handling. Prevent any release to drains, watercourses or soil. Follow the exposure controls set out in the batch SDS.
Transport
Copper oxychloride and its formulations are 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. This is a real difference from most of our inorganic range: marked and labeled packaging, a dangerous goods declaration and IMDG or DOT-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 copper oxychloride is made
The dominant industrial route is not a primary synthesis from refined copper. It neutralizes spent cupric chloride etching liquor from printed circuit board manufacture — either the acidic cupric chloride stream or the alkaline cuprammine stream, and sometimes the two against each other so they neutralize mutually. An alternative route air-oxidizes cuprous chloride in brine at 60 to 90 °C.
The crystal form is set by the precipitation conditions, and this is where the commercial quality question lives. Controlled conditions give the alpha form, which is the desired product. Deviations give the beta form, which cakes during storage. Botallackite forms first under most conditions and then converts to atacamite or paratacamite depending on the reaction medium; clinoatacamite is thermodynamically the most stable of the four.
Because the feedstock is a recovered waste stream rather than refined metal, technical copper oxychloride pricing tracks copper scrap and etchant availability alongside the refined copper price. That is worth knowing when a quote moves and the LME has not.
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.
| Chemical family | Basic copper chloride |
|---|---|
| Made from | Spent cupric chloride etchant, neutralized |
| Desired form | Alpha — atacamite |
| Problem form | Beta — cakes in storage |
| Theoretical Cu | 59.5% maximum |
| Downstream | WP fungicides, TBCC feed minerals, pigments |
The copper oxychloride range and related inorganics
The other grades in this family, plus salts and acids supplied from the same desk.
Copper oxychloride technical, answered
What is copper oxychloride technical used for?
Is copper oxychloride the same as tribasic copper chloride?
What copper content does technical grade carry?
Why does crystal form matter?
Is copper oxychloride dangerous goods?
Can I import this into the United States?
Do you hold the EPA registration?
What packing do you offer?
Do you supply copper oxychloride in the United States?
Do you manufacture this yourself?
Get a quote on copper oxychloride technical
Send us your required copper assay, crystal form, particle size, pack size and US delivery point — and tell us the end use, because it decides the import route. We will come back with a firm quote, lead time and full documentation.