Lab-Tested: 99.59% Pure Copper — Third-Party Verified by Govt. of India Laboratory
Third-Party Verified Our copper has been independently tested by RTC Laboratory — a division of the Metal Handicrafts Service Centre under India's Ministry of Textiles, Government of India. Result: 99.59% pure copper. Lead at 0.010% (ten times below the FDA limit). Cadmium: undetectable.
Why We Published Our Lab Results
The non-toxic cookware market is full of claims. "Pure copper." "Lead-free." "100% safe." Anyone can write those words on a product page. Very few brands publish the test data that proves it.
We commissioned an independent third-party elemental analysis of our copper from a government-affiliated laboratory in India. Then we published the results here — every number, including the ones that need context (like lead at 0.010%, which sounds alarming until you know it's ten times below the FDA limit).
If you are researching copper cookware or copper water bottles and want to know whether the copper is real, whether it contains harmful metals, and how our results compare to regulatory limits — this page is for you.
The Test: Who Conducted It and How
Laboratory: RTC Laboratory, Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh, India
Affiliation: A division of the Metal Handicrafts Service Centre, under control of the Ministry of Textiles, Government of India
Test standard: JISK:0119:2008 (Japanese Industrial Standard for elemental composition analysis of copper and copper alloys)
Sample tested: Copper Bottle and Apple Jug (Ribbed) — representative of our copper product line
Report reference: RTCL-34401-2022-23 / Q2C-2223010002133
Test dates: May 19–20, 2026 | Report issued: May 22, 2026
Signed by: Dr. R.K. Sharma, General Manager / Authorized Signatory
The Results
| Element | Symbol | Result (% by weight) | Regulatory Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| Copper | Cu | 99.59% | Solid copper — not plated, not alloyed |
| Zinc | Zn | 0.20% | Naturally present in mined copper ore. Well within food-safe limits. |
| Iron | Fe | 0.09% | Trace amount naturally occurring. FDA has no specific limit for iron in copper. |
| Tin | Sn | 0.01% | Trace from ore. Separate from the applied kalai tin lining on the interior. |
| Lead | Pb | 0.010% | FDA limit for food-contact copper alloys: 0.1%. Our copper is 10× below this limit. |
| Cadmium | Cd | Below Detection Limit (BDL) | Zero cadmium detected. This is the strongest possible result for a heavy metal safety test. |
Understanding the Lead Number
Lead at 0.010% is the result that most people want context on. Here is the full picture:
- The US FDA permissible limit for lead in food-contact copper alloys is 0.1% (1,000 ppm by weight). Our copper is at 0.010% — one-tenth of the allowable limit.
- Trace lead in copper is natural. Pure copper ore contains trace amounts of lead, zinc, and iron as geological co-deposits. Refining removes most of it; some remains at sub-regulatory trace levels.
- At 0.010% in the alloy, the amount that could theoretically leach into food or water during normal use is orders of magnitude below any health concern. The FDA limit accounts for this leaching potential when setting the 0.1% alloy threshold.
- For comparison: the EU's drinking water limit for lead is 10 µg/L — our copper at 0.010% alloy content would need to dissolve entirely into water to approach that number, which does not happen in normal use.
Bottom line: Our lead result is not a concern. It is a trace geological residue at one-tenth the FDA's permissible limit. We publish it because transparency builds more trust than silence.
Understanding Cadmium BDL
BDL means "Below Detection Limit" — the laboratory's instruments could not detect any cadmium at all. This is the best possible result for cadmium in a safety test. Cadmium is a toxic heavy metal with no safe level for dietary exposure. Finding zero detectable cadmium means our copper contains none at any measurable level.
How This Compares to Competitors
| Brand | Third-party lab test published? | Lead result published? | Cadmium result published? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Copper Mart | Yes — Government of India lab | Yes — 0.010% (10× below FDA limit) | Yes — Below Detection Limit |
| Caraway | No independent test published | N/A (ceramic, not copper) | N/A |
| Our Place | No independent test published | N/A (ceramic, not copper) | N/A |
| Most copper brands | No | Not disclosed | Not disclosed |
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know my copper cookware is real and not plated?
The only definitive answer is a third-party elemental composition test like the one on this page. Copper plating typically tests at 1–5% copper over a base metal. Our copper tested at 99.59% copper — that's solid copper, not a thin layer over cheap metal. Visual and weight tests give hints but are not conclusive.
Does copper cookware contain lead?
Trace lead is naturally present in mined copper at geological levels. Our copper tests at 0.010% lead — ten times below the US FDA limit of 0.1% for food-contact copper alloys. This trace level is safe for food and water contact under normal use. We publish the exact number rather than making vague "lead-free" claims so you can evaluate it yourself.
What does BDL mean in a lab test?
BDL stands for "Below Detection Limit." It means the laboratory's instruments could not measure any of that substance at all — effectively zero. For cadmium, BDL is the strongest possible safety result. It means our copper contains no detectable cadmium.
Why did Copper Mart commission this test?
The copper cookware market includes both solid copper and copper-plated products that look identical to buyers. We wanted independent, government-lab verification that our products are what we claim them to be — 99.59% solid copper — and that they meet US food safety standards for heavy metals. We then published the full results, including the lead number with context, rather than cherry-picking favorable data.
Is 99.59% copper pure enough for Ayurvedic use?
Yes. Ayurvedic texts specify "pure copper" (shudh tamra) vessels for tamra jal (copper water). 99.59% is considered pure copper by any metallurgical standard. The remaining 0.41% is trace geological minerals (zinc, iron, tin, lead) at levels consistent with naturally refined copper worldwide. Copper used in Ayurvedic practice for centuries would have had similar natural trace compositions.
What is the JISK:0119:2008 test standard?
JISK:0119:2008 is a Japanese Industrial Standard for the elemental analysis of copper and copper alloys by atomic absorption spectrometry or inductively coupled plasma (ICP) spectroscopy. It is an internationally recognized method for precisely measuring the percentage composition of each element in a metal sample. It is the appropriate standard for verifying copper purity in manufactured goods.