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PDAC 2019 has now been and gone — check out our full coverage of all things base metals at the event this year.
With over 25,000 attendees, the 2019 Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada (PDAC) convention brought something to the table for investors, market watchers and newcomers alike.
Hosted in Toronto, Canada, from March 3 to 6, the hustle and bustle of the convention featured panels and presentations from some of the resource space’s top experts.
During the event, the Investing News Network (INN) had a chance to catch up with pros from several sectors such as precious metals and base metals. For the full list of INN’s base metals coverage, keep scrolling to check out our interviews with experts from the space.
Gianni Kovacevic: Market Won’t Yawn at Another Copper Disruption
It’s no mystery that the CEO of Copperbank Resources (CSE:CBK,OTC Pink:CPPKF), Gianni Kovacevic, knows his copper, and he explained to INN that the commodity is currently managing to diverge from oil.
Kovacevic went on to say that on a 20-year graph, copper can be expected to grow further apart from oil as the two begin to decouple in terms of price, demand and growth.
Alex Laugharne: Expect Strong Nickel Demand from EV Battery Sector
Though some investors have been duking it out over whether nickel should be considered a base metal or a battery metal, CRU Group Principal Consultant Alex Laugharne explained how the evolving battery market will impact the commodity over the coming years.
According to Laugharne, nickel — a key component in lithium-ion batteries — could see its demand driven by the battery market. The main question is when.
Ryan Cochrane: This is What We Need for a Zinc Price Blowout
CRU Group’s head of lead, zinc and precious metals, Ryan Cochrane, gave INN the inside scoop on what’s ahead for zinc in 2019 in an interview in which he highlighted the metal market and concentrate market as two stories to watch right now.
He told INN that he’s neutral to bullish on the commodity for 2019’s first half, and expects the metal market to balance itself out as more mine supply comes online.
Rory Townsend: Zinc Price to Peak This Year at $3,700
While Wood Mackenzie Senior Research Analyst Rory Townsend sees zinc prices peaking at US$3,700 per tonne in 2019’s second half, he also predicts that the commodity will experience its fourth consecutive year of metal market deficit.
Townsend also thinks that zinc will see an increased availability of concentrate this year, but warned that the quality may not be as high as investors hope for.
Gwen Preston: A Trade War Won’t Faze Gold, but Base Metals Could Suffer
In a presentation for investors at PDAC, Gwen Preston of Resource Maven gave her take on the impact commodities like gold and base metals stand to see from trade talks and potential trade wars.
According to Preston, there are two possible paths for the market, which can be simply broken down as deal or no deal.
Wood Mackenzie: Watch Zinc Smelters, Not the Miners
After facing a tumultuous 2018, Townsend feels that zinc smelters — not miners — will push the battered commodity forward this year.
In a presentation given at PDAC, Townsend started by explaining some of zinc’s 2018 ups and downs, and went on to lay out Wood Mackenzie’s predictions for zinc mine production and what’s in store for the concentrate market.
Irish Mining Yawns at Brexit Storms
As the conversation surrounding Brexit has been a hotter topic than ever as of late, INN spoke with Irish mining and exploration companies at PDAC to see what kind of impact they foresee for their industry.
Although one might expect Irish businesses to be concerned about the potential Brexit effect, these miners and explorers shared the sentiment that there are bigger issues to be focused on right now.
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Securities Disclosure: I, Olivia Da Silva, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
Editorial Disclosure: The Investing News Network does not guarantee the accuracy or thoroughness of the information reported in the interviews it conducts. The opinions expressed in these interviews do not reflect the opinions of the Investing News Network and do not constitute investment advice. All readers are encouraged to perform their own due diligence.