Processing fees to turn copper ore into metal are poised to gain next year as new and existing mining projects increase raw material supplies, according to Japan's top producer.The market will see a supply increase from mid-2013, says Yoshimasa Adachi, president of JX Nippon Mining & Metals. The unit of JX Holdings owns 66% of Pan Pacific Copper, a joint venture with Mitsui Mining & Smelting.Increasing charges paid by mining companies will boost revenue for smelters such as Pan Pacific and Sumitomo Metal Mining, the second-biggest producer of copper, used to make pipes and wires. World mine production may increase by 14% in 2013, while smelting capacity may rise 11%, according to data from Pan Pacific.
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