LIVE
Cu$9,847/t▲ +1.2%
Co$29,340/t▼ −0.4%
Li$16,500/t▲ +2.8%
Ni$18,210/t▼ −0.7%
Zn$2,940/t▲ +0.9%
Au$2,318/oz▲ +0.3%
Ag$27.4/oz▼ −0.2%
Al$2,540/t▲ +0.5%
Pb$2,180/t▼ −0.3%
Sn$31,200/t▲ +0.6%
Cu$9,847/t▲ +1.2%
Co$29,340/t▼ −0.4%
Li$16,500/t▲ +2.8%
Ni$18,210/t▼ −0.7%
Zn$2,940/t▲ +0.9%
Au$2,318/oz▲ +0.3%
Ag$27.4/oz▼ −0.2%
Al$2,540/t▲ +0.5%
Pb$2,180/t▼ −0.3%
Sn$31,200/t▲ +0.6%
Open pit mine aerial view
GLOBAL COMMODITIES TRADING

The strategic metals
that move the world.

AYYS connects producers, refiners and industrial buyers through an integrated platform — sourcing, trading and logistics across all global metals and minerals markets.

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Countries covered
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Active partners
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Metals & minerals
24/7
Operational monitoring
ALERT
Red Sea: freight costs +34% on Asia-Europe routes — 10-14 days added transit
DRC cobalt export restrictions — 3-6 week delays at Matadi port
US-China 25% tariffs on critical minerals — LME copper surges
Chile copper miners strike — output down 8%
EU Critical Raw Materials Act now in force
Red Sea: freight costs +34% on Asia-Europe routes — 10-14 days added transit
DRC cobalt export restrictions — 3-6 week delays at Matadi port
US-China 25% tariffs on critical minerals — LME copper surges
Chile copper miners strike — output down 8%
EU Critical Raw Materials Act now in force
Full Intelligence →
Copper smelting molten metal
Mineral processing — potash facility
Lithium salt flats Bolivia
Rare minerals — energy transition
Bulk carrier cargo ship
River logistics — Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Our services
An integrated value chain
From source identification to final delivery — every step managed with precision, transparency and expertise.
01

Trading & Dealing

Spot and forward transactions across LME, COMEX and SHFE. Price risk management, contract structuring and arbitrage on all major exchanges.

02

Sourcing & Procurement

Global supplier identification and qualification across Africa, Asia and the Americas. Full ESG due diligence and OECD-compliant chain-of-custody traceability.

03

Logistics & Transport

End-to-end freight management: sea and land transport, customs documentation, cargo insurance and DDP/CIF/FOB delivery under agreed incoterms.

04

Advisory & Expertise

Market analysis, long-term procurement strategies, trade finance structuring, letters of credit and offtake contract negotiation support.

Portfolio
Strategic metals & minerals
AYYS operates across the full spectrum of critical raw materials — from base metals to energy transition minerals.
Trusted by operators across the value chain
AURUBIS
Copper refinery
FREEPORT
Mining group
UMICORE
Battery materials
BOLIDEN
Base metals smelter
CODELCO
Copper producer
VALE
Nickel & iron ore
Gold bars precious metals
Why AYYS
Agility meets global reach

In a market dominated by a handful of giants, AYYS brings what the majors cannot offer: proximity, speed and personal commitment on every single transaction.

About AYYS
Independent. Committed. Global.

AYYS is an independent commodities trading house operating across the full spectrum of metals and minerals markets. Founded on the principle that agility and integrity are not mutually exclusive, we serve producers, refiners and industrial buyers across five continents.

Unlike the major conglomerates, our lean structure allows us to move at market speed — adapting to price shifts, regulatory changes and logistical disruptions in real time, while maintaining the highest standards of compliance and transparency.

"The world's transition to clean energy runs on cobalt, lithium and copper. AYYS exists to make that supply chain more resilient, more transparent and more accessible."
— Executive Management, AYYS Commodities
Registration
AYYS
SIRET : 10279037500012
Jurisdiction
France
Registered in Paris
Compliance
OECD Aligned
Due Diligence Framework
Standard
LBMA Member
Precious metals chain
Coverage
50+ Countries
Active sourcing network
Founded
Est. 2020
Independent trading house
Market Intelligence
Geopolitical signals
View all →
CRITICAL ALERT · STRAIT OF HORMUZ

Blockade risk: 21% of global oil & LNG at stake

Escalating tensions between Iran and Western powers place the Strait of Hormuz — the world's most critical maritime chokepoint — under severe threat. Any sustained closure would cascade immediately across oil, LNG, sulfuric acid tanker routes and industrial mineral supply chains globally. AYYS is actively monitoring and pre-positioning alternative logistics corridors for all affected shipments.

+60–80%
Estimated oil price spike
+45 days
Cape of Good Hope rerouting
+25–40%
Freight rate surge
Critical
H₂SO₄ tanker routes impacted
Persian Gulf Gulf of Oman HORMUZ I R A N UAE / Saudi Arabia Oman
21M
barrels/day
30%
global LNG
3.2 km
navigable width
HIGH · LOGISTICS

Red Sea routes under pressure

Freight costs up 34% — 10-14 days added on Asia-Europe routes. Sub-Saharan Africa and Gulf mineral shipments most affected.

Mar 2025
HIGH · SUPPLY

DRC cobalt licensing tightened

New certification requirements causing 3-6 week delays at Matadi port for cobalt exporters globally. Alternative sources under review.

Feb 2025
MEDIUM · TRADE

US-China 25% tariffs on minerals

New duties pushing buyers toward alternative African and Latin American sources — global offtake demand accelerating.

Jan 2025
Access full Market Intelligence →
Our approach
Rigour at every step

Every transaction at AYYS follows a structured four-stage process: qualification, structuring, execution and post-trade monitoring. ESG compliance is integrated from day one — because responsible sourcing is a competitive advantage.

Mining operations
Energy Transition Minerals
Powering the clean energy revolution
AYYS is a specialist operator in critical minerals driving the global shift to clean energy — from EV batteries to renewable energy storage and grid infrastructure.
Lithium minerals
Li — Lithium
$16,500/t
Current price
▲ +2.8%
24h change
42%
EV demand share

Lithium — The battery metal

Lithium is the cornerstone of lithium-ion battery technology powering electric vehicles, grid-scale energy storage and consumer electronics. AYYS sources battery-grade lithium carbonate and lithium hydroxide from the Lithium Triangle (Chile, Argentina, Bolivia) and hard-rock spodumene concentrates from Australia.

EV batteries Grid storage Consumer electronics Li₂CO₃ & LiOH
Key sourcing regions
🇨🇱 Chile — Atacama brine
🇦🇺 Australia — Spodumene
🇦🇷 Argentina — Puna brine
🇨🇩 DRC — Emerging supply
Cobalt mining
Co — Cobalt
$29,340/t
Current price
▼ −0.4%
24h change
70%
DRC supply share

Cobalt — The cathode critical mineral

Cobalt is essential in NMC and NCA battery cathodes, significantly improving energy density and thermal stability in EV batteries. AYYS operates deep sourcing networks in the Democratic Republic of Congo — the world's dominant supplier — with full OECD-compliant due diligence and traceability protocols to meet OEM requirements.

NMC cathodes NCA batteries Aerospace alloys Superalloys
Key sourcing regions
🇨🇩 DRC — Katanga province
🇦🇺 Australia — Olympic Dam
🇵🇭 Philippines — Ni-Co laterite
🇲🇦 Morocco — Bou Azzer
Nickel mining
Ni — Nickel
$18,210/t
Current price
▼ −0.7%
24h change
15%
Battery demand

Nickel — The energy density enhancer

High-purity nickel sulphate is a critical input for high-energy-density EV battery cathodes, particularly in NCMA chemistries favoured by leading automakers. AYYS sources Class 1 nickel from Indonesia, Russia and Canada, with expertise in the increasingly important nickel sulphate refining chain serving battery precursor manufacturers.

NCMA cathodes NiSO₄ sulphate Stainless steel Class 1 nickel
Key sourcing regions
🇮🇩 Indonesia — Laterite HPAL
🇷🇺 Russia — Norilsk sulphide
🇨🇦 Canada — Sudbury basin
🇵🇭 Philippines — Laterite ore
Rare earth minerals
REE — Rare Earths
NdPr/oxide
Key product
▲ Strategic
EU CRM Act listed
85%
China supply share

Rare Earths — The magnet metals

Neodymium and praseodymium (NdPr) are indispensable in the permanent magnets powering EV motors and wind turbine generators. With China controlling over 85% of global supply, AYYS is actively developing alternative supply chains from Australia, Canada and emerging African producers to serve European and North American manufacturers.

NdPr magnets EV motors Wind turbines EU CRM Act
Key sourcing regions
🇨🇳 China — Primary supply
🇦🇺 Australia — Mt Weld
🇨🇦 Canada — Emerging
🇲🇿 Mozambique — Phalaborwa
Graphite processing
C — Graphite
Anode grade
Key product
▲ +15%
Demand 2024
95%
Battery anode use

Graphite — The anode foundation

Natural and synthetic graphite form the anode material in virtually every lithium-ion battery cell. As gigafactory capacity scales globally, demand for battery-grade spherical purified graphite (SPG) is accelerating. AYYS sources from established Chinese producers while developing alternative supply from Mozambique, Tanzania and Canada ahead of upcoming export restriction risks.

Battery anodes SPG — purified Synthetic graphite Gigafactory supply
Key sourcing regions
🇨🇳 China — Primary producer
🇲🇿 Mozambique — Balama
🇹🇿 Tanzania — Mahenge
🇨🇦 Canada — Nouveau Monde
Sulfuric acid industrial processing
H₂SO₄ — Sulfuric Acid
98% purity
Battery grade
▲ Strategic
Critical input
270Mt/yr
World production

Sulfuric Acid — The backbone of mineral processing

Sulfuric acid (H₂SO₄) is the world's most produced industrial chemical and a critical input across the entire metals and minerals value chain. It is indispensable in the leaching of copper, cobalt, nickel and lithium ores, in the production of phosphate fertilizers, and increasingly in battery-grade lithium hydroxide refining. AYYS supplies and trades technical and battery-grade sulfuric acid globally, with logistics expertise covering bulk tanker, ISO tank and pipeline delivery.

Hydrometallurgy HPAL leaching Lithium processing Copper SX-EW Fertilizers Battery refining
Key applications in metals & minerals
Copper heap leaching — SX-EW process
Cobalt & Ni laterite HPAL processing
Lithium hydroxide refining from spodumene
Zinc & uranium ore processing
AYYS sourcing & supply capabilities
🇨🇱 Chile — Copper smelter by-product
🇯🇵 Japan — High-purity industrial grade
🇩🇪 Europe — Battery-grade H₂SO₄
🌍 Global — Elemental sulfur conversion
Electric Vehicles
Li + Co + Ni + Graphite in every battery cell
🔋
Grid Storage
Large-format LFP batteries for renewable buffering
💨
Wind Turbines
NdPr permanent magnets in direct-drive generators
☀️
Solar & Storage
Lithium batteries for residential & utility PV storage
Specialty Chemicals
Sulfuric acid — AYYS expertise & supply
As a critical input across metals processing, battery production and fertiliser manufacturing, sulfuric acid sits at the intersection of every major commodity chain AYYS operates in.
S O O O O H H H₂SO₄ — Sulfuric acid
Formula
H₂SO₄
Purity grades
93% / 96% / 98%
Battery grade
≥ 99.5% (electrolyte)
Density
1.84 g/cm³
Boiling point
337°C
Global demand
270 Mt/year
⛏️

Metals leaching & hydrometallurgy

Sulfuric acid is the principal leaching agent in hydrometallurgical extraction of copper, nickel, cobalt, zinc and lithium from oxide ores. AYYS supplies high-purity sulfuric acid directly to mine sites and processing facilities — particularly copper cathode plants in Chile, Peru and DRC where H₂SO₄ consumption can exceed 10 tonnes per tonne of copper produced.

Copper SX-EW leaching
Nickel laterite HPAL
Zinc electrolysis
Cobalt refining
Lithium extraction
Gold heap leaching
🔋

Battery electrolyte & EV supply chain

Ultra-high-purity sulfuric acid (≥99.5%) is a critical electrolyte component in lead-acid batteries and in the HPAL processing of nickel and cobalt for lithium-ion battery precursor manufacturing. As gigafactory construction accelerates globally, demand for battery-grade H₂SO₄ is growing at 12–15% annually. AYYS supplies battery manufacturers and cathode active material producers across Europe and Asia.

Lead-acid electrolyte
NiSO₄ production
CoSO₄ refining
HPAL processing
pCAM manufacturing
Gigafactory supply
🌾

Phosphate fertilisers & agriculture

Approximately 60% of global sulfuric acid production is consumed in the manufacture of phosphoric acid (H₃PO₄), which is then converted into DAP, MAP and SSP fertilisers feeding global agriculture. AYYS sources sulfuric acid from smelter by-product streams — primarily copper and zinc smelters — making it both cost-competitive and environmentally aligned, reducing SO₂ atmospheric emissions.

Phosphoric acid (H₃PO₄)
DAP fertiliser
MAP fertiliser
SSP production
Ammonium sulphate
Soil acidification
🏭

Industrial & chemical applications

Beyond metals and agriculture, sulfuric acid is a universal industrial chemical — used in petroleum refining (alkylation), titanium dioxide production, rayon and fibres manufacturing, explosives (nitration), water treatment and semiconductor etching. AYYS supplies industrial-grade H₂SO₄ in ISO tank containers and road tankers to chemical plants across Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

Petroleum alkylation
TiO₂ production
Rayon & fibres
Water treatment
Semiconductor etching
Explosives (nitration)
AYYS sulfuric acid sourcing network
Primary source
Smelter by-product

SO₂ captured from copper, zinc and lead smelters converted to H₂SO₄ — most cost-competitive and lowest carbon footprint source. AYYS has offtake agreements with smelters in Chile, Poland and Kazakhstan.

Secondary source
Elemental sulphur (Claus)

Produced via combustion of elemental sulphur recovered from oil & gas desulfurisation. Major production hubs in Middle East (affected by Hormuz tensions), Canada and Russia. AYYS maintains alternative sourcing from Canadian and Polish producers.

Specialty grade
Battery & semiconductor grade

Ultra-pure H₂SO₄ (≥99.999%) for electronics and battery applications. Sourced from Evonik, Ineos and Asian specialty chemical producers. AYYS manages quality certification, cold-chain logistics and ISO tank compliance for these grades.

Contact
Let's explore opportunities together
Producer, buyer or financial partner — our team responds within 24 business hours.

General enquiries

contact@ayys-commodities.com

Availability

Mon – Fri, 8am – 8pm (CET)
Trading emergencies: 24/7

Registered office
AYYS
3 place Jussieu
75005 Paris, France
SIRET : 10279037500012
Your information is kept strictly confidential and will not be shared with third parties.
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