A state-level copper market, covering an area of 28,000 square meters, has been built in the city of Tongling in east China's Anhui Province.

The total investment for the market reached more than 70 million yuan (8.4 million US dollars), a local source said.

Tongling is the largest producer of copper in east China. It has been producing copper for more than 3,000 years, and now turns out about half of country's total copper goods annually.

The market intends to become a national distribution center for copper commodities, officials said, adding that it will promote economic and technological exchange and cooperation among copper producers and traders, and accelerate the development of the copper industry.