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Goldfields Exploration Update
Miramar Resources Limited (ASX:M2R, “Miramar” or “the Company”) is pleased to provide an update on gold exploration activities within the Company’s strategic Eastern Goldfields project portfolio.
- RC drill hole completed under high-grade Blackfriars gold prospect (Gidji JV)
- New Exploration Licence application expands land position along Randall Fault
The Blackfriars Target is located at the contact between the Black Flag Group and mafic and ultramafic rocks within the Boorara Shear Zone and shares the same geological setting as the >2 million ounce Paddington gold deposit along strike to the north.
Given the apparent similarities to Paddington, Blackfriars is a high priority target within the Gidji JV Project.
The Blackfriars aircore gold footprint stretches for at least 1 kilometre at greater than 1g/t Au and remains open along strike to the northwest on the other side of the Goldfields Highway.
The recent RC hole, GJRC028, tested beneath the high-grade result in aircore hole GJAC627, which ended in black shale with quartz-carbonate veining and sulphides and returned a result of 1m @ 11.8g/t Au and 6g/t Ag (46-47m EOH) (see ASX Release dated 8 April 2022).
GJRC028 intersected black shale and silicified dolerite with sulphide mineralisation and quartz stringers but was terminated at 130m due to difficult drilling conditions associated with running sands in the overlying Gidji Paleochannel.
Miramar’s Executive Chairman, Mr Allan Kelly, said the Gidji JV Project had the potential to host a new gold camp with multiple deposits but was significantly underexplored.
“Gidji is in a fantastic location within a major mineralised structure, between two major gold camps, Kalgoorlie and Paddington,” Mr Kelly said.
“Despite this, and the record gold price, the Project has had minimal effective historic exploration, and virtually no deep drilling, as evidenced by our ability to discover high-grade bedrock gold mineralisation with shallow aircore drilling only 150 metres from a major highway,” he said.
Samples from the RC hole have been sent for analysis and further aircore and RC drilling is planned.
The Company is also working towards obtaining approvals for drilling of other high-priority targets at Gidji including:
- Marylebone – multiple high grade gold results including GJAC562 (6m @ 2.2g/t Au and up to 28g/t Ag) associated with massive sulphide mineralisation in black shale
- Roaster – 2m @ 3.3g/t Au in GJAC577 – open along strike
- Eight-mile – potential northern extension of Northern Star Resources Limited’s 300,000-ounce “Runway/8 Mile Dam” deposit
- The Jog – gravity anomaly and magnetic depletion within jog in the Boorara Shear Zone
New Application
The Company has also further expanded its strategic Eastern Goldfields tenement portfolio with a new Exploration Licence Application south of the recently acquired Lake Yindarlgooda Project (Figure 2).
The “Venetian” Target, E25/649, covers a package of mafic rocks immediately adjacent to the Randall Fault and contains historic RAB drill holes with anomalous gold results within and along strike of E25/649.
Miramar will compile all historical data and work towards grant of the tenement.
Click here for the full ASX Release
This article includes content from Miramar Resources Limited, licensed for the purpose of publishing on Investing News Australia. This article does not constitute financial product advice. It is your responsibility to perform proper due diligence before acting upon any information provided here. Please refer to our full disclaimer here.
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Miramar Resources
Overview
With the explosive growth of the electric vehicle market and the global push for sustainability, demand for battery metals is skyrocketing. This has created significant upside potential for exploration, particularly where copper and nickel are concerned.
Miramar Resources (ASX:M2R) intends to leverage that potential to the fullest. Led by an experienced board with a proven track record of successful exploration, discovery, development and production, the company has acquired multiple projects with the potential to host world-class mineral deposits. These discovery opportunities lie in Western Australia's Eastern Goldfields and Gascoyne regions, including the Capricorn Orogen, a rapidly emerging yet largely underexplored mineral province.Proterozoic orogens are well-established as hosting major mineral deposits. Capricorn is no exception. It's highly prospective for multiple commodities and deposit types.
Recognizing this opportunity, Miramar has acquired two large and highly prospective landholdings within the Capricorn Orogen: the Whaleshark copper-gold project and the Bangemall nickel-copper-PGE projects. In addition to these, Miramar maintains two gold projects in the Eastern Goldfields, one of which — Gidji JV — has the potential to become a new gold camp in the region.
Miramar's strategy is simple — to create shareholder value through the discovery of world-class mineral deposits. It's well-positioned to do exactly that, with active exploration programs, a tight share register and low enterprise value.
Company Highlights
- Australian exploration company Miramar Resources is well-positioned to take advantage of the battery metals opportunity.
- The current focus on battery metals creates significant upside opportunities for exploration, particularly on copper and nickel.
- Led by an experienced board with a track record of successful discovery, development and production, Miramar has acquired multiple projects with the potential to host world-class deposits, including:
- Large, shallow copper-gold targets at Whaleshark
- Multiple nickel-copper-PGE targets at Bangemall
- Multiple strategic Eastern Goldfields projects, including one with the potential to become a new gold camp
- Miramar is an active explorer with regular news flow, a tight share register and low enterprise value.
Key Assets
Whaleshark (Ashburton)
Located roughly 40 kilometres east of Onslow in the Ashburton region of Western Australia, Whaleshark. It was acquired by Miramar as part of its initial public offering in 2020.
Miramar secured $180,000 under the Exploration Incentive Scheme (EIS) funding program from the Western Australia Government to fund diamond drilling and project development at Whaleshark. Assay results from the diamond drilling confirmed the presence of bedrock copper sulphide mineralisation at Whaleshark and the company also identified the potential for very large magnetite iron deposits near existing infrastructure.
Project Highlights:
- Prospectivity: Whaleshark displays all the necessary characteristics for the presence of a large copper-gold deposit, including:
- Proterozoic granite with nearby iron-rich rocks
- Overlapping magnetic anomalism and gravity
- Strong anomalous “interface” geochemistry
- Sodic and potassic alteration
- High-priority Drilling: Miramar has identified multiple high-priority bedrock drill targets which comprise overlapping:
- Mobile metal iron (MMI) surface geochemical anomalism over roughly 1.2 square kilometers
- Gravity anomalism crosscut by a northwest-trending structure
- Strongly elevated copper, cobalt, gold and silver results gathered from “interface” aircore drilling
- Advantageous Geology: Whaleshark’s geology is similar to the large Ernest Henry IOCG deposit in Queensland, including the scale, suite and magnitude of elements. However, Whaleshark also displays shallower cover compared to Ernest Henry.
- Bedrock copper sulphide confirmed: Results from the completed diamond drill program confirmed the presence of bedrock copper sulphide mineralisation within the project. Multi-element assays subsequently also confirmed the presence of anomalous copper, gold, silver, molybdenum and tungsten throughout the Whaleshark granodiorite.
- Large Magnetite Iron Opportunities: The drill program, coupled with analysis and comparisons to historical data and magnetic anomalies also indicate potential for a large shallow magnetite iron deposit at Whaleshark in close proximity to significant infrastructure.
Bangemall/Mount Vernon (Gascoyne)
Miramar has several granted and pending exploration licences in its district-scale Bangemall project which are prospective for Proterozoic magmatic Ni-Cu-PGE mineralisation associated with 1070Ma Kulkatharra Dolerite sills which are the same age as the Giles Complex, host to the large Nebo and Babel Ni-Cu deposits in the West Musgraves of WA.
Both the Geological Survey of Western Australia and Geoscience Australia have identified the area as being highly prospective for numerous types of mineral deposits.
Since 2020, Miramar has built a strategic land position in the Bangemall region, focusing on areas containing key ingredients and/or regional-scale indicators for Norilsk-style Ni-Cu-PGE mineralisation:
- Kulkatharra Dolerite sills – source of Ni, Cu +/- PGE’s
- Proximity to major crustal-scale faults (+/- cross faults) - potential plumbing systems +/- traps
- Sulphidic sediments - potential sulphur source
- Regional-scale geochemical anomalism (GSWA regional geochemistry)
- Regional-scale EM anomalism (2013 Capricorn AEM Survey)
The company’s Mount Vernon project is a high priority. In early 2022, Miramar flew a detailed magnetic and electromagnetic survey over the Mount Vernon project, identifying multiple late-time anomalies potentially related to nickel-copper-PGE sulphide mineralisation. A ground EM is underway and RC drilling is planned for Mount Vernon targets.
Project Highlights:
- Mount Vernon potential: Miramar's VTEM survey at Mount Vernon confirms historic exploration at the project, which identified:
- Nickel, copper and platinum group elements soil anomalies
- Significant nickel-copper in rock chips
- Drilling intersected elevated nickel-copper-PGEs in dolerite
- 50 rock chip samples taken, with several containing course-grained pyrite in fine grained chill margin and coarser grained gabbro in the centre of the sill
- Current Work: Geophysical contractors have commenced a fixed loop electromagnetic survey to refine targets for future drill testing
- Expansion of Bangemall Project: In early 2024, Miramar announced the grant of the Trouble Bore Exploration Licence, adjacent to Mount Vernon, where historic EM surveys had identified a strong late-time EM anomaly that could be representative of buried Ni-Cu-PGE mineralisation.
Gidji JV Project (Eastern Goldfields)
Located roughly 15 kilometres north of Kalgoorlie, Gidji is a highly prospective yet underexplored gold project with potential nickel mineralisation. Miramar has been actively exploring the project since October 2020, resulting in the identification of several new targets and outlining large aircore gold anomalies at Marylebone, Blackfriars and Highway/Piccadilly, each of which could host a significant gold discovery. The Marylebone target is the highest priority target as it has the same geology, structural setting and scale as the 4-Moz Paddington gold deposit which is also located in the ‘Boorara Shear Zone’ to the north and where Miramar discovered high-grade gold in a quartz vein. At the Marylebone target alone, Miramar has outlined a large shallow gold “exploration target” of 1.4 to 3.2 million tons (Mt) @ 1.2 to 1.5 grams per ton (g/t) gold. The company believes Gidji has the potential to become a new gold camp.
Highlights:
- Multiple High-potential Gold Targets: Potential mineralisation at Marylebone ranges from 1.4 to 3.2 Mt @ 1.2 to 1.5 g/t gold. Other gold anomaly targets include Blackfriars, Highway-Piccadilly and Railway. Miramar is currently refining bedrock targets for further deep drilling.
- Potential Nickel Sulphide Mineralisation: Through re-analysis of multiple aircore holes, Miramar has produced significant platinum and palladium assays commonly associated with high nickel and copper results.
Glandore (Eastern Goldfields)
Situated 40 kilometres east of the Kalgoorlie Gold Field, Miramar's 100-percent-owned Glandore project displays the potential for significant high-grade gold mineralisation. Previous exploration of the project area identified a large aircore gold footprint along with significant gold anomalism. Diamond drilling in 2005 returned results that included 4 metres @ 44.3 g/t gold.
In 2022, Miramar completed a diamond drilling program at the high-grade “Glandore East’ target, at the edge of the salt lake, with results returning high-grade gold mineralisation and visible gold. Multiple parallel mineralised structures have been outlined beneath a very large aircore gold footprint and bedrock gold mineralisation is present over 600 metres of strike and open. A UAV magnetic survey identified multiple northeast-trending structures. More surveys are planned to further refine and assist in targeting.
Management Team
Allan Kelly - Executive Chair
Allan Kelly is a geologist and manager with over 30 years’ experience in mineral exploration, development and production throughout Australia and the Americas. Kelly graduated in 1994 with a Bachelor of Science (with honors) in applied geology from Curtin University. He has been involved in targeting early-stage exploration of gold, nickel and copper deposits in Australia, Alaska and Canada, and has previously held senior exploration positions at Western Mining Corporation and Avoca Resources.
In 2009, he founded Doray Minerals, which was listed on the ASX in early 2010. Under Kelly's management, Doray discovered the high-grade Wilber Lode gold deposit within the Andy Well Project in the Murchison Region of Western Australia, which moved from discovery to production within three and a half years. He subsequently funded, constructed and commissioned the Deflector gold-copper project within 14 months of completing the takeover of Mutiny Gold in 2014.
In 2014, Kelly was awarded the Association of Mining and Exploration Companies (AMEC) ‘Prospector Award’, along with Doray’s co-founder Heath Hellewell, for the discovery of the Wilber Lode and Andy Well gold deposits. He is a fellow and former councilor of the Association of Applied Geochemistry (AAG), a member of the Australian Institute of Geoscientists (AIG), and a member of the Institute of Brewing and Distilling (IBD).
Marion Bush - Technical Director
Marion Bush is a geologist with over 25 years’ experience in senior management, directorship, commercial management, analyst and marketing roles within the UK, Australia, Africa and South America. She was the former CEO of TSX-V listed Cassidy Gold and a former mining analyst.
Bush holds a Bachelor of Science (geology) from Curtin University, a Master of Science (mineral project appraisal) from the University of London (Imperial College) and is a member of the AIG.
Terry Gadenne - Non-executive Director
Terry Gadenne has over 30 years’ experience in military and civilian aviation, agriculture and mining management. He was the chief pilot of Mackay Helicopters and managing director of Mining Logic, located in Queensland. Throughout his career, Gadenne has had various board positions in not-for-profit organisations.
He holds a Bachelor of Aviation Studies (management) from the University of Western Sydney, completed the Company Directors Course with AICD and was a former army and navy pilot.
Mindy Ku - Company Secretary
Mindy Ku has over 15 years' international experience in financial analysis, financial reporting, management accounting, compliance reporting, board reporting, company secretarial services and office management across multiple jurisdictions (Australia, Malaysia, UK, Sweden and Norway) including ASX-listed public and private companies.
Ku holds a Bachelor of Science in computing from the University of Greenwich, United Kingdom, is a member of Certified Practising Accountant Australia and a fellow member of the Governance Institute of Australia.
True North Copper Commences Mining at Wallace North, QLD
True North Copper Limited (ASX: TNC) (TNC or the Company) is pleased to announce mining operations at its Wallace North deposit in northern Queensland have commenced, with clearing activities and blast hole drilling underway.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Mining activities at True North Copper’s Wallace North deposit, part of its Cloncurry Copper Project (CCP) in Queensland, have commenced with clearing and blast hole drilling underway
- TNC is on track to become Australia’s next copper producer and critical metals supplier via its restart of CCP
- CCP is estimated to generate free cash flow of ~$200 million at current copper spot prices over its initial 4.6-year mine life1
- TNC has binding offtake and toll milling agreements with Glencore International AG (Glencore)2 for 100% of copper concentrate from CCP and for toll milling of up to 1Mt of ore per year
- Recent executive appointments have bolstered TNC’s executive team ahead of operations restart.
Wallace North is part of True North Copper’s Cloncurry Copper Project (CCP) and one of four open-pit deposits making up CCP. Wallace North has an Ore Reserve totalling 0.7Mt (Probable) grading 1.01% Cu and 0.46g/t Au for 6.8kt Cu and 10.0koz Au3.
TNC will operate dry hire equipment at Wallace North, which its own personnel will operate, with most mining equipment already on site. Dewatering of the pit area is well advanced, with all blast hole drilling expected to be in dry holes.
A recruitment process for the operations team is close to finalisation, and a supportive technical team is in place ready for mining to start.
True North Copper’s newly appointed Managing Director Bevan Jones said: “We have commenced mining operations at Wallace North, which will allow our CCP to restart copper production. This has been our major goal since listing on the ASX. I thank our team for their efforts in moving towards this goal to allow TNC to become Australia’s next copper and critical metals producer.
“CCP is estimated to deliver free cash flow of about $200 million at current prices over its 4.6-year initial mine life, based on existing JORC Reserves. Cash flow from mining will be used to explore further opportunities to build this inventory.”
Mining ramp-up will initially build ore stockpiles, with road haulage expected to start within a few weeks of startup. Oxide ore will be transported by road train to TNC’s Cloncurry Operations Hub's (COH) heap leach. Sulphide ore will be transported to a nearby concentrator for toll treatment under TNC's toll-milling agreement with Glencore International AG.
The COH is 2km from the town of Cloncurry in northern Queensland and will service all four of TNC’s deposits with essential infrastructure, technical systems and support. An active oxide heap leach and solvent extraction (SX) processing plant, mine buildings, site administration facilities, workshops, open pit mine facilities, onsite explosive magazines, site storage, water management systems and existing site power supply are located at the COH.
Click here for the full ASX Release
This article includes content from True North Copper, licensed for the purpose of publishing on Investing News Australia. This article does not constitute financial product advice. It is your responsibility to perform proper due diligence before acting upon any information provided here. Please refer to our full disclaimer here.
Lundin Mining Announces Updated Share Capital and Voting Rights
News Provided by Canada Newswire via QuoteMedia
Forum Announces Closing of Private Placement, Stock Option Grant and Liquidity Services Agreement
Forum Energy Metals Corp. (TSXV: FMC) (OTCQB: FDCFF) ("Forum" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that, further to its news releases of June 3 and June 24, 2024, it has closed its non-brokered private placement and has issued 7,084,020 units (the "Units") at a price of $0.135 per Unit for gross proceeds of $956,343 (the "Offering"). Each Unit consists of one common share and one-half of one share purchase warrant (each whole warrant, a "Warrant"). Each Warrant entitles the holder to purchase one common share (each a "Warrant Share") at a price of $0.20 per Warrant Share for a period of 24 months expiring June 26, 2026.
In connection with the Offering, the Company paid cash commissions totalling $51,141 equal to 6% of certain of the gross proceeds raised under the Offering. The Company also issued 378,819 finder warrants of the Company. Each finder warrant shall entitle the holder thereof to purchase one common share of the Company at a price of $0.20 expiring June 26, 2026.
All securities issued are subject to a four month hold period expiring October 27, 2024. The net proceeds of the Offering will be used for general working capital.
Insiders of the Company participated in the Offering for 780,000 Units or $105,300, and such Units issued to insiders are subject to a four month hold period pursuant to applicable policies of the TSX Venture Exchange. The issuance of Units to insiders is considered a "related party transaction" within the meaning of Multilateral Instrument 61-101 - Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101"). The Company is relying on exemptions from the formal valuation requirements of MI 61-101 pursuant to section 5.5(a) and the minority shareholder approval requirements of MI 61-101 pursuant to section 5.7(1)(a) in respect of such insider participation as the fair market value of the transaction, insofar as it involves interested parties, does not exceed 25% of the Company's market capitalization.
The securities referred to in this news release have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act") or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. persons absent registration under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws, unless an exemption from such registration is available. This news release does not constitute an offer for sale of securities for sale, nor a solicitation for offers to buy any securities. Any public offering of securities in the United States must be made by means of a prospectus containing detailed information about the company and management, as well as financial statements. "United States" and "U.S. person" have the respective meanings assigned in Regulation S under the U.S Securities Act.
Stock Option Grant
The Company also announces that in accordance with the Company's stock option plan, it has granted to certain of its directors, officers, employees and consultants incentive stock options to purchase up to an aggregate of 3,200,000 common shares exercisable on or before June 28, 2029 at a price of $0.135 per share.
Marketing Agreement
The Company has entered into an advisory agreement (the "Agreement") with DS Market Solutions Inc. ("DS Market Solutions"), an equity trading advisory and liquidity provider located in Mississauga, Ontario, whereby DS Market Solutions has agreed to provide the Company with liquidity services with the object of enhancing market depth and increasing liquidity of the Company's common shares, as further described in the Agreement, for a month-to-month term in exchange for remuneration of $5,000 per month, plus applicable taxes.
About Forum Energy Metals
Forum Energy Metals Corp. (TSXV: FMC) (OTCQB: FDCFF) is focused on the discovery of high-grade unconformity-related uranium deposits in the Athabasca Basin, Saskatchewan and the Thelon Basin, Nunavut. For further information: https://www.forumenergymetals.com.
ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Richard J. Mazur, P.Geo.
President & CEO
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
For further information contact:
Rick Mazur, P.Geo., President & CEO
mazur@forumenergymetals.com
Tel: 604-630-1585
Not for distribution to United States Newswire Services or for dissemination in the United States
To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/214909
News Provided by Newsfile via QuoteMedia
A Look at Historical Copper Prices (Updated 2024)
Copper has had a volatile few years; however, amid various ups and downs, prices for the red metal hit an all-time high on May 20, 2024, trading at US$5.20 per pound on the COMEX.
Interestingly, by looking backwards it’s easy to see that this spike was an expected feature of the long-term picture for copper prices. The red metal has rebounded after a downtrend from about 2011 to 2015, and over the last few decades prices have increased even more dramatically.
Case in point — at the time of its new high in May 2024, the copper price has increased over 500 percent since January 2000. Although this impressive major increase doesn't account for inflation, it's still a sizeable gain. Let's take a deeper dive into copper prices going back even further.
What factors have impacted copper prices historically?
So what’s the best way to view historical copper prices? According to Stefan Ioannou of Cormark Securities, it’s most pragmatic to look at historical copper prices since the 1970s or 1980s.
That’s because of the rise of modern heap-leach technology. Leaching has long been used in mining operations, but the method in its modern form didn’t start gaining popularity until around 1980.
“That fundamentally changed the way we mine copper,” Ioannou explained. “Up until then, a lot of copper mining was for the most part focused on sulfide mineralization producing a copper concentrate that you’d send to a smelter. With heap-leach technology, all of a sudden the giant porphyries (and) the oxidized caps associated with large porphyries down in South America became viable.”
That sounds like good news for increasing copper supply, but as Ioannou noted, large-scale deposits are often low grade, meaning that they’re more costly to mine despite relatively cheap heap-leaching methods.
While Ioannou said supply and demand dynamics are the main driver for prices, grade and production costs are factors as well. Demand for copper keeps growing, and he suggested that since “the low-hanging fruit has been mined,” miners must increasingly go after more difficult, large, low-grade and costly deposits.
“The price of copper dictates how low you can go on the grade,” he said. “Back pre-1970s, I’m guessing a lot of copper was coming from a lot higher-grade mines … as we’ve been mining more and more of these large-scale deposits that are low grade, the cost on a per-pound basis has gone up.”
What else has driven historical copper prices?
Interestingly, some take another view on the historical performance of the copper price.
Richard Schodde, managing director at MinEx Consulting, gave a presentation on the subject back in 2010 that looks at a longer timeframe — 110 years, to be exact.
On that scale, historical copper prices have dropped significantly since the 1910s. In 2015, Schodde told the Investing News Network by email that real copper prices had dropped about 50 percent since 1910, and that production costs have also fallen due to economies of scale and advances in mining and processing technologies.
That might not sound like good news for copper, but Schodde viewed the drop as good overall. He thinks the industry will continue to innovate in order to exploit lower-grade deposits and meet growing global demand.
Plus, it’s worth considering where you get in. Looking at the graph below from Schodde, it wouldn’t be ideal if you invested in copper back in the 1910s. It all comes down to strategy, timing and, frankly, a bit of luck.
Copper price vs. average operating costs, 1900 to 2009.
Chart via MinEx Consulting.
How does supply and demand shape copper prices?
Many supply and demand factors have contributed to the movement of historical copper prices over the years. For example, a report from the US Geological Survey notes that the Vietnam War meant strong demand in the mid-1960s and early 1970s, leading to price controls to limit domestic copper prices.
Much later, in July 1998, prices “had fallen to their lowest level since the Great Depression,” while an earlier production boom in the 1980s led prices to fall on the back of resulting oversupply.
Historical copper prices from July 1988 to June 2024.
Global demand for copper is currently dominated by China, and those following the resource market will no doubt remember a large spike in Chinese demand that sent prices for copper and other commodities soaring in recent years. China is still a strong copper demand driver, with the most recent data showing that it was the largest consumer of refined copper at an estimated 6.75 million metric tons in 2023.
Macroeconomic volatility has impacted the Asian nation’s copper demand, and it’s tough to say what’s going to happen moving forward. Analysts have noted that the country’s infrastructure and property sectors, both of which require large amounts of copper and other commodities, are also showing signs of weakness.
On the supply side, a report from the World Bureau of Metal Statistics showed that as of April 2024, the global refined copper supply shortage came in at 120,900 MT, due in large part to declining copper mine production from Anglo American (LSE:AAL,OTCQX:AAUKF). The closure of First Quantum Minerals' (TSX:FM,OTC Pink:FQVLF) Cobre Panama mine and declining production at Chile’s Chuquicamata mine are also impacting copper mine supply at present.
What’s next for copper?
In the short term, copper price volatility is still in the cards due to market uncertainties, including prolonged supply chain challenges, sticky inflation and the threat of recession in the global economy.
However, some analysts are quite optimistic looking longer term. Goldman Sachs (NYSE:GS) has expressed confidence that copper’s long-term fundamentals remain strong with a clear structural bull story. The firm sees copper prices reaching US$15,000 per metric ton (or US$6.80 per pound) by 2025.
This is an updated version of an article originally published by the Investing News Network in 2015.
Don’t forget to follow us @INN_Resource for more updates!
Securities Disclosure: I, Melissa Pistilli, 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.
How to Invest in Copper (Updated 2024)
Copper has long been held up as a key indicator of global economic health, and as the world electrifies it's taking on a new shine, making it a potentially compelling choice for green-minded investors.
Often called Dr. Copper, copper is one of the most followed base metals, and its high ductility and electrical conductivity make it the third most consumed industrial metal, behind iron ore and aluminum, as per the US Geological Survey.
Given its attributes, copper is often used for electrical purposes such as power transmission and generation. And like its base metal sibling nickel, it has a major role in the electric vehicle revolution, with experts at S&P Global expecting consumption of copper to jump 20 percent by 2035 due to demand from the green energy market.
Read on to get an idea of the supply and demand dynamics that move the copper price, as well as how to invest.
What factors impact copper supply and demand?
Copper supply is prone to disruptions in various capacities: environmental events, worker strikes, economic fluctuations and so on. For that reason, it's important to keep an eye on what’s happening in the world’s major copper producers, such as Chile, Peru and China. Global events like the COVID-19 pandemic can also play a role in market dynamics.
Indeed, copper had a breakout year in 2021. Copper futures on the London Metal Exchange reached what was then a new peak of over US$10,700 per metric ton on the back of higher demand projections.
In May 2022, the red metal repeated that performance to reach another fresh high of US$10,845, propelled upward by expectations of strong demand from electric vehicle and renewable energy applications. The metal's price on the COMEX also reached new highs on a per pound basis in 2021 and 2022.
Copper supply and demand are also being affected by Russia's war in Ukraine, which has contributed to higher energy prices and other inflationary pressures. Russia is one of the top copper-producing countries.
“This had the twin effect of slowing both demand and supply growth, which helped to keep the copper market relatively tight,” Dan Smith, head of research at Amalgamated Metal Trading, told the Investing News Network at the end of 2022. “We have seen some big swings in prices this year, but with so much uncertainty about the war in Ukraine and the potential for a ban on Russian metal, this was to be expected.”
China, another top copper-producing country, is also the world's largest consumer of the red metal, and fluctuations in the strength of its economy often have major implications for copper prices. This was the story for 2023 as prices declined to as low as US$7,812 in October alongside the worsening crisis in China’s real estate market. The industry represents a whopping 30 percent of the country’s GDP and is a primary consumer of the red metal.
Although China’s economic woes are persisting in 2024, global copper mine supply is tightening at the same time as copper demand from the energy transition rises. The closure of First Quantum Minerals' (TSX:FM,OTC Pink:FQVLF) Cobre Panama mine, guidance cuts from Anglo American (LSE:AAL,OTCQX:AAUKF) and declining production at Chile’s Chuquicamata mine are exacerbating an already tenuous supply situation.
These complex dynamics led the copper price to climb by nearly 35 percent from the start of this year to reach its highest recorded COMEX price of US$5.20 per pound, or US$11,464, on May 20. Copper also broke its futures high that day, trading at a price of US$11,104.50 on the London Metal Exchange.
Looking forward, the consensus among experts is that although copper may face short-term headwinds, its long-term future looks solid. Some market watchers have big-picture concerns for copper output, predicting that prices for the red metal will remain high well into the future as supply struggles to keep up with demand.
What are the ways to invest in copper?
Exchange-traded funds (ETFs), futures and mining stocks are common methods of investing in copper.
For investors looking to invest in physical copper, purchasing copper is possible, and copper is sold in rounds and bars of various weights. However, due to its relatively cheap price per pound compared to other common investment metals, a decent physical copper position would take up a lot space, making physical copper an inefficient investment option.
In the case of a copper ETF, investors are able to access the copper market indirectly by looking at funds focused on copper or copper-mining companies. ETFs are seen as a lower-risk way to invest.
Meanwhile, copper futures contracts give investors a chance to take part in the market in another fashion — according to InvestingAnswers, “(Futures) allow buyers and sellers to ‘lock in’ the price at which they buy or sell an asset in the future.” This can create a safety net for investors while still providing copper price exposure; however, on the flip side, the leverage that futures trading provides can make it a risky endeavor best left to professionals.
Lastly, there are copper stocks, which can be risky, but are one of the most direct routes to the market. Investors can buy shares of firms involved in copper mining, development and exploration, and ride the ebb and flow of both these companies’ performance and the copper price. Typically, more advanced companies are less risky compared to juniors.
Some of the largest copper-mining companies are Freeport-McMoRan (NYSE:FCX), Glencore (LSE:GLEN,OTC Pink:GLCNF), BHP (ASX:BHP,NYSE:BHP,LSE:BHP) and Rio Tinto (LSE:RIO,NYSE:RIO,ASX:RIO). For other ideas on copper stocks, check out our lists of the top-performing companies listed on the TSX, TSXV and ASX.
This is an updated version of an article first published by the Investing News Network in 2020.
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Securities Disclosure: I, Melissa Pistilli, 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.
Vizsla Copper Begins Drilling at Woodjam Copper-Gold Property
Vizsla Copper Corp. (TSXV: VCU) (OTCQB: VCUFF) (FRANKFURT: 97E0) ("Vizsla Copper" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the start of the summer core drilling program at the Woodjam copper-gold project (the "Woodjam Project" or "Woodjam") in south-central BC (Figure 1).
HIGHLIGHTS- The Targets: Core drilling will evaluate the potential for: (1) extensions of high-grade gold mineralization at the Deerhorn deposit, (2) extensions of gold-rich copper mineralization at the Three Firs zone, and (3) extensions of higher gold mineralization at the Southeast deposit.
- The Program: Approximately 3,600m of core drilling in 9 drill holes is planned, some of which will be on the contiguous Redgold property.
"With our financing freshly closed, I'm excited about the start of drilling at Woodjam," commented Craig Parry, Executive Chairman. "Strong copper prices are expected to continue over the long term and Vizsla Copper is executing on its strategy of acquiring undervalued copper assets and completing selective, high-impact exploration programs on our best targets."
"Well mineralized and highly prospective for exploration success, Woodjam remains our highest priority project," commented Steve Blower, Vice President of Exploration. "I'm looking forward to evaluating all of the target areas, especially Three Firs, as this is our first opportunity to expand the wide-open mineralization there."
The ProgramHigh priority targets will be evaluated in 3 areas – the Deerhorn deposit, the Three Firs zone and the Southeast deposit (Figure 2). At the Deerhorn copper-gold deposit, at least two drill holes will evaluate the potential to expand the higher-grade southern gold-rich portion of the deposit (Figure 3). At the copper-gold Three Firs zone, one drill hole will evaluate potential extensions to the southwest of the zone and another will evaluate a large circular magnetic anomaly northwest of the zone (Figure 4). Finally, drilling at the large Southeast copper deposit will attempt to expand the area of higher-grade gold mineralization along the south end of the deposit (Figure 5).
Approximately 3,600m of drilling is planned in 9 drill holes – some of which will be completed on the contiguous Redgold property. More information on the Redgold portion of the drilling program will follow as targets are finalized. The program will take approximately 6 to 8 weeks to complete. Samples will be submitted for assay regularly through the program, and analytical results will be disclosed in due course.
Figure 2 – Target Area Locations
Figure 3 – Deerhorn Deposit Target Area (Grade Shells at 810masl)
Figure 4 – Three Firs Zone Target Area (Grade Shells at 800masl)
Figure 5 – Southeast Deposit Target Area (Grade Shells at 790masl)
About Vizsla Copper
Vizsla Copper is a Cu-Au-Mo focused mineral exploration and development company headquartered in Vancouver, Canada. The Company is primarily focused on its flagship Woodjam project, located within the prolific Quesnel Terrane, 55 kilometers east of the community of Williams Lake, British Columbia. It has three additional copper properties: Poplar, Copperview, and Redgold, all well situated amongst significant infrastructure in British Columbia. The Company's growth strategy is focused on the exploration and development of its copper properties within its portfolio in addition to value accretive acquisitions. Vizsla Copper's vision is to be a responsible copper explorer and developer in the stable mining jurisdiction of British Columbia, Canada and it is committed to socially responsible exploration and development, working safely, ethically and with integrity.
Vizsla Copper is a spin-out of Vizsla Silver (TSX.V: VZLA) (NYSE: VZLA) and is backed by Inventa Capital Corp., a premier investment group founded in 2017 with the goal of discovering and funding opportunities in the resource sector. Additional information about the Company is available on SEDAR+ (www.sedarplus.ca) and the Company's website (www.vizslacopper.com).
Qualified Person
The Company's disclosure of technical or scientific information in this press release has been reviewed and approved by Ian Borg, P.Geo., Senior Geologist for Vizsla Copper. Mr. Borg is a Qualified Person as defined under the terms of National Instrument 43-101.
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS
The information contained herein contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. "Forward-looking information" includes, but is not limited to, statements with respect to the activities, events or developments that the Company expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future, including, without limitation, planned exploration activities. Generally, but not always, forward-looking information and statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates", or "believes" or the negative connotation thereof or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved" or the negative connotation thereof. Forward-looking statements in this news release include, among others, statements relating to: obtaining required regulator approvals for the Copperview Acquisition and the RG Copper Acquisition; satisfying the requirements of the Underlying Option Agreement; the exploration and development of the Woodjam Project, Redgold Project and Copperview Project; and the Company's growth and business strategies.
Such forward-looking information and statements are based on numerous assumptions, including among others, that the results of planned exploration activities are as anticipated, the anticipated cost of planned exploration activities, that general business and economic conditions will not change in a material adverse manner, that financing will be available if and when needed and on reasonable terms, that third party contractors, equipment and supplies and governmental and other approvals required to conduct the Company's planned exploration activities will be available on reasonable terms and in a timely manner. Although the assumptions made by the Company in providing forward-looking information or making forward-looking statements are considered reasonable by management at the time, there can be no assurance that such assumptions will prove to be accurate.
Forward-looking information and statements also involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties and other factors, which may cause actual events or results in future periods to differ materially from any projections of future events or results expressed or implied by such forward-looking information or statements, including, among others: negative operating cash flow and dependence on third party financing, uncertainty of additional financing, no known mineral reserves or resources, the limited operating history of the Company, the influence of a large shareholder, aboriginal title and consultation issues, reliance on key management and other personnel, actual results of exploration activities being different than anticipated, changes in exploration programs based upon results, availability of third party contractors, availability of equipment and supplies, failure of equipment to operate as anticipated; accidents, effects of weather and other natural phenomena and other risks associated with the mineral exploration industry, environmental risks, changes in laws and regulations, community relations and delays in obtaining governmental or other approvals.
Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking information or implied by forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that forward-looking information and statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated, estimated or intended. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements or information. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or reissue forward-looking information as a result of new information or events except as required by applicable securities laws.
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