According to China Daily Business Weekly the Luoyang copper processing plant in central China's Henan province has become one of the metal producers providing high-grade alloys for the new euro coins.

The factory has signed a long-term contract with a mint in Bremen, Germany this year to supply 1,000 tonnes of the alloy per month. The company was the first factory in the world to provide coin materials to the EU after beating 11 competitors from the United States, Germany and South Korea. The processing requirements are "very high" for the metal coin - an alloy of five different metals including copper and antimony, the spokesman said.