Turquoise Hill Resources Ltd. (TSX: TRQ) (NYSE: TRQ) ("Turquoise Hill" or the "Company") will announce its third quarter financial results on Monday, November 14, 2022 before markets open in North America.
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Vice President Investors Relations and Communications
Roy McDowall
roy.mcdowall@turquoisehill.com
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Vancouver, British Columbia TheNewswire - May 30, 2025 Juggernaut Exploration Ltd. (TSX-V: JUGR) (OTCQB: JUGRF) (FSE: 4JE) (the "Company" or "Juggernaut"), further to its April 14 th April 23 rd April 25 th 2025, and May 15, 2025, news releases, the Company is pleased to announce that it has filed documents with the TSX Venture Exchange (the "Exchange") seeking final approval to close its private placement financing (the "Financing") for aggregate gross proceeds of $10,362,735.
The Company is seeking approval to close the Financing with this second and final tranche, issuing 2,040,000 $0.825 charity flow-through units ("CFT Units"), with each CFT Unit consisting of 1 flow-through common share of the Company and 1 common share purchase warrant, each warrant being exercisable at $0.75 for 5 years, subject to the right of the Company to accelerate the exercise period to 30 days if, after the 4-month hold has expired, shares of the Company close at or above $1.50 for 10 consecutive trading days, for aggregate gross proceeds of $1,683,000.
On May 16, 2025 the Company closed the first tranche of the Financing, issuing 9,308,770 CFT Units, and 2,000,000 $0.50 non-flow-through units ("NFT Units"), each NFT Unit consisting of 1 common share and 1 common share purchase warrant, each warrant being exercisable at $0.75 for 5 years, subject to the right of the Company to accelerate the exercise period to 30 days if, after the 4-month hold has expired, shares of the Company close at or above $1.50 for 10 consecutive trading days, for aggregate gross proceeds of 8,679,735.
The proceeds will be used to explore Juggernaut's properties located in Northwestern B.C. and for general working capital.
Cash finders' fees totaling $221,963 have been paid and 439,925non-transferable broker warrants have been issued in accordance with TSXV Polices. All securities issued in the first tranche closing are subject to a 4-month-plus-one-day hold, expiring September 17, 2025, and all securities issued in the second tranche closing are subject to a 4-month-plus-one-day hold expiring October 2, 2025.
One insider subscribing for 2,000,000 NFT Units, a "related party transaction" as defined under Multilateral Instrument 61-101 ("MI 61-101"), is exempt from the formal valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements of MI 61-101.
About Juggernaut Exploration Ltd.
Juggernaut Exploration Ltd. is an explorer and generator of precious metals projects in the prolific Golden Triangle of northwestern British Columbia. Its projects are in world-class geological settings and geopolitical safe jurisdictions amenable to Tier 1 mining in Canada. Juggernaut is a member and active supporter of CASERM, an organization representing a collaborative venture between the Colorado School of Mines and Virginia Tech. Juggernaut's key strategic cornerstone shareholder is Crescat Capital.
For more information, please contact
Dan Stuart
President, Director, and Chief Executive Officer
604-559-8028
info@juggernautexploration.com
Qualified Person
Rein Turna P. Geo is the independent qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101, for Juggernaut Exploration projects, and supervised the preparation of, and has reviewed and approved, the technical information in this release.
Grab samples are selected samples and may not represent true underlying mineralization.
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 STATEMENT
Certain disclosures in this release may constitute forward-looking statements that are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties relating to Juggernaut's operations that may cause future results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by those forward-looking statements, including its ability to complete the contemplated private placement. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these statements. NOT FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES OR TO U.S. PERSONS OR FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES. THIS PRESS RELEASE DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFER TO SELL OR AN INVITATION TO PURCHASE ANY SECURITIES DESCRIBED IN IT.
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finlay minerals ltd. (TSXV: FYL) (OTCQB: FYMNF ) ("Finlay" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it intends to complete a non-brokered private placement (the " Private Placement ") consisting of the issuance of any combination of: (i) common shares of the Company to be issued on a flow-through basis under the Income Tax Act ( Canada ) (each, a " FT Share ") at a price of $0.11 per FT Share, and (ii) non-flow-through units of the Company (each, a " NFT Unit ") at a price of $0.10 per NFT Unit, for aggregate gross proceeds to the Company of up to $1,000,000 . The Private Placement is subject to a minimum offering amount of $500,000 to be raised through any combination of FT Shares and NFT Units.
Each NFT Unit will be comprised of one non-flow-through common share of the Company (each, a " NFT Share ") and one non-flow-through common share purchase warrant (a " Warrant "). Each Warrant will be exercisable by the holder thereof to acquire one NFT Share at an exercise price of $0.20 per NFT Share for a period of two years from the date of issuance of the Warrant (the " Warrant Expiry Date "), subject to acceleration. The Warrant Expiry Date may, at the Company's sole discretion, be accelerated if at any time following the Closing Date (as defined herein), the common shares of the Company trade at a daily volume-weighted average trading price above $0.30 per common share for a period of 30 consecutive trading days on the TSX Venture Exchange (the " TSXV ") or on such other stock exchange where the majority of the trading occurs (the " Trading Target ") and the Company provides notice to the Warrant holders by way of press release announcing that such Trading Target has been achieved, provided that the accelerated expiry date of the Warrants falls on the earlier of (unless exercised by the holder prior to such date) (the " Accelerated Expiry Date "): (i) the 30th day after the Company provides notice to the Warrant holders of its intention to accelerate the Warrant Expiry Date; and (ii) the Warrant Expiry Date. The failure of the Company to give notice in respect of a Trading Target will not preclude the Company from giving notice of any subsequent Trading Target. All Warrants that remain unexercised following the Accelerated Expiry Date shall immediately expire and all rights of holders of such Warrants shall be terminated without any compensation to such holders.
The Company intends to use the gross proceeds of the Private Placement for exploration of the Company's SAY, JJB and Silver Hope properties, and for general working capital purposes. The Company will use the gross proceeds from the issuance of FT Shares to incur "Canadian exploration expenses" and qualify as "flow-through mining expenditures", as such terms are defined in the Income Tax Act ( Canada ).
Subject to compliance with applicable regulatory requirements, the Private Placement is being conducted pursuant to the listed issuer financing exemption under Part 5A of National Instrument 45-106 – Prospectus Exemptions and in reliance on the Coordinated Blanket Order 45-935 – Exemptions from Certain Conditions of the Listed Issuer Financing Exemption . The securities issued to purchasers in the Private Placement will not be subject to a hold period under applicable Canadian securities laws. There is an offering document related to the Private Placement that can be accessed under the Company's profile at www.sedarplus.ca and on the Company's website at www.finlayminerals.com . Prospective investors should read this offering document before making an investment decision.
The closing of the Private Placement is expected to occur on or about June 9, 2025 (the " Closing Date "). The closing of the Private Placement is subject to certain closing conditions, including the approval of the TSXV. The Company may pay finder's fees in cash and securities to certain arm's length finders engaged in connection with the Private Placement, subject to the approval of the TSXV.
This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of the securities in the United States or in any other jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. The securities have not been registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933 , as amended, and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements thereunder.
About finlay minerals ltd.
Finlay is a TSXV company focused on exploration for base and precious metal deposits through the advancement of its ATTY, PIL, JJB, SAY and Silver Hope Properties; these properties host copper-gold porphyry and gold-silver epithermal targets within different porphyry districts of northern and central BC. Each property is located in areas of recent development and porphyry discoveries with the advantage of hosting the potential for new discoveries.
Finlay trades under the symbol "FYL" on the TSXV and under the symbol "FYMNF" on the OTCQB. For further information and details, please visit the Company's website at www.finlayminerals.com
On behalf of the Board of Directors,
Robert F. Brown ,
Executive Chairman of the Board & Director
Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
Forward-Looking Information: This news release includes certain "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements in this news release that address events or developments that we expect to occur in the future are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, although not always, identified by words such as "expect", "plan", "anticipate", "project", "target", "potential", "schedule", "forecast", "budget", "estimate", "intend" or "believe" and similar expressions or their negative connotations, or that events or conditions "will", "would", "may", "could", "should" or "might" occur. All such forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management as of the date such statements are made. Forward-looking statements in this news release include statements regarding, among others, the terms and completion of the Private Placement, raising the minimum and maximum amounts of the Private Placement, the payment of finder's fees and issuance of finder's securities, the anticipated closing date and the planned use of proceeds for the Private Placement. Although Finlay believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include the ability to obtain regulatory approval for the Private Placement, the state of equity markets in Canada and other jurisdictions, market prices, exploration successes, and continued availability of capital and financing and general economic, market or business conditions. These forward-looking statements are based on a number of assumptions including, among other things, assumptions regarding general business and economic conditions, the timing and receipt of regulatory and governmental approvals, the ability of Finlay and other parties to satisfy stock exchange and other regulatory requirements in a timely manner, the availability of financing for Finlay's proposed transactions and programs on reasonable terms, and the ability of third-party service providers to deliver services in a timely manner. Investors are cautioned that any such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements, and accordingly undue reliance should not be put on such statements due to the inherent uncertainty therein. Finlay does not assume any obligation to update or revise its forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future or otherwise, except as required by applicable law.
SOURCE finlay minerals ltd.
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Cygnus Metals is advancing high-grade copper-gold and lithium projects in Quebec, Canada. Through asset consolidation and substantial exploration funding, the company is primed for scalable growth in a premier mining jurisdiction.
Cygnus Metals (TSXV:CYG) is a copper-gold and lithium exploration and development company focused on becoming a near-term producer in the highly prospective Chibougamau region of Québec, Canada. Leveraging a strategic portfolio of high-grade, brownfield copper and gold assets, the company is rapidly advancing toward production by capitalizing on existing infrastructure, including the centrally located Copper Rand mill. Operating in a mining-friendly jurisdiction, Cygnus Metals is executing a hub-and-spoke development model, intending to become Québec’s next significant copper producer.
Following its strategic merger with Dore Copper, Cygnus Metals has consolidated a significant 282 sq km land package in prolific mining regions in Quebec - Chibougamau (copper-gold) and James Bay (lithium) - boasting a high-grade copper and gold resource of 10.8 million tons (Mt) @ 3.5 percent copper equivalent, and existing infrastructure that includes a 900 ktpa processing facility. Doré Copper completed a preliminary economic assessment on a hub and spoke operation in June 2022.
Cygnus Metals is currently advancing its flagship Chibougamau Project, located in a region with a rich history of copper and gold production within the world-renowned Abitibi Greenstone Belt of Québec.
The Copper Rand mill is the only processing facility in the area designed for a capacity of 1,350 tonnes per day. This infrastructure is expected to significantly reduce upfront capital costs and may offer future revenue-generating opportunities through toll milling arrangements with third-party operators.
Cygnus Metals is led by a seasoned management team with a proven track record in the mining sector. President and managing director Ernest Mast brings over 30 years of experience, including senior leadership roles at Primero Mining and Minera Panama (Inmet Mining). His background in guiding junior and mid-tier mining companies through key growth stages aligns well with Cygnus Metals’ development strategy. The broader team includes experienced professionals with deep expertise in exploration, project development, and mining operations, both in Canada and internationally.
Location of the Chibougamau Project relative to other major deposits and processing facilities
Cygnus Metals' assets are located within two well-known mining regions in Quebec, with a long history of production. The company’s current strategy revolves around a hub-and-spoke model, with the Copper Rand mill serving as the processing hub, fed by multiple satellite deposits.
Located within a historic, high-grade mining camp, the Chibougamau copper gold project spans 187 sq km and includes a 900 ktpa processing plant and existing major infrastructure. The project consists of seven exploration targets, three of which have an existing mineral resource 10.8 million tons @ 3.5 percent copper equivalent.
The Chibougamau region has a rich mining history dating back to the early 1900s. With 16 historic mines, the district has produced some 53.5 Mt @ 3.4 percent copper equivalent (1.8 percent copper and 2.1 grams per ton gold) for 945,000 of copper and 3.5 Moz of gold.
Metallurgical testing at Corner Bay has yielded positive results, with copper recoveries ranging from 96.8 percent to 98.2 percent, and the concentrate is of high commercial quality, making it highly attractive to smelters.
Cygnus is focused on growing the mineral resources base at the Chibougamau project and concurrently work on aspects of the project supporting a move towards a feasibility study. The resource base, which currently stands at 3.6 Mt of measured and indicated mineral resources at 3 percent copper equivalent and 7.2 Mt of inferred mineral resources at 3.8 percent copper equivalent, for a total of 10.8 Mt at 3.5 percent copper equivalent for 306 kt copper and 314 koz gold. Recent exploration results focused on the Golden Eye deposit located only 3 km from the mill with an intercept of 7.4 meters of 4.7 g/t gold, 0.9 percent copper and 5.6 g/t silver demonstrating the deposit being open down dip. Currently Golden Eye does not have a 43-101 Mineral Resource and represents a tremendous growth opportunity.
The Corner Bay deposit is the cornerstone of Cygnus Metals’ development strategy, recognized for its exceptional copper grades and significant exploration upside. The most recent resource estimate outlines 2.7 million tonnes of Indicated resources grading 2.9 percent CuEq, 5.9 million tonnes of Inferred resources at 3.6 percent CuEq. Continued drilling success is expanding mineralized zones, supporting future resource growth and extended mine life.
Devlin hosts 660,000 tonnes of indicated resources at 2.3 percent CuEq and 480,000 tonnes of inferred resources at 2 percent CuEq. While smaller in scale, Devlin offers strategic flexibility and early production potential. Ore will be transported to Corner Bay for pre-concentration, then hauled to the Copper Rand mill for final processing. Mining is expected to use room-and-pillar and drift-and-fill methods, with operations commencing shortly after Corner Bay comes online.
Cedar Bay, a past-producing mine near the Copper Rand mill, historically produced 3.9 million tonnes at an average grade of 1.63 percent copper and 3.21 g/t gold. Updated resources now include 130,000 tonnes of Indicated material grading 8.9 percent CuEq and 230,000 tonnes of inferred material at 8.5 percent CuEq. These standout grades underscore Cedar Bay’s potential as a valuable high-grade feed source and a near-term contributor to the production pipeline.
The Joe Mann deposit, located 60 kilometers south of the Copper Rand mill, adds further scale and upside. Over its mine life, Joe Mann produced 1.2 million ounces of gold and 28 million pounds of copper, with average grades of 8.26 g/t gold and 0.25 percent copper. The current resource includes 610,000 tonnes of inferred resources at 5.5 percent CuEq.
Across its portfolio, Cygnus Metals has outlined 3.6 million tonnes of measured and indicated resources at 3.0 percent CuEq and 7.2 million tonnes of inferred resources at 3.8 percent CuEq. Together, these deposits provide the foundation for a scalable, high-grade copper-gold operation centered on the refurbished Copper Rand mill, with a phased, multi-source production strategy unlocking long-term value in Québec’s historic Chibougamau mining district.
David Southam is highly experienced in operations, project development and capital markets across the resources and industrial sectors. He was previously the managing director of Mincor Resources. Southam is non-executive director of Ramelius Resources and a non-executive chair of Andean Silver Limited.
Ernest Mast is a mining executive with over 30 years of global experience across operations, development, and corporate leadership. He has held senior roles at Primero Mining, New Gold, Copper Mountain, and Inmet Mining, where he led development of the $6B Cobre Panama project. Mast began his career at Noranda and serves on the board of Scottie Resources and other firms. He holds engineering degrees from McGill University and business credentials from Henley College and Universidad Catolica.
Mario Stifano is a mining executive and CPA with over 16 years of experience across exploration, development, and production. Currently CEO of Galantas Gold, he has held senior roles at Cordoba Minerals, Mega Precious Metals, Lake Shore Gold, and Ivernia. Stifano has raised over $700 million for mining projects, including $500 million to develop three gold mines now producing 180,000 oz annually as part of Pan American Silver.
Kevin Tomlinson is a structural geologist and investment banker. He is the non-executive chair of Bellevue Gold and of FireFly Metals. Tomlinson has a successful track record in base and precious metals project development.
Raymond Shorrocks brings a wealth of experience in corporate finance, stockbroking and financial services in Ontario. He was the previous non-executive chair of FireFly Metals and Bellevue Gold. He is the executive chair of Alicanto Minerals.
Brent Omland is the co-CEO of Ocean Partners providing a range of trading services for miners, smelters and refiners globally. He is a chartered accountant and has held CFO roles for publicly listed companies in the resources industry.
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Copper prices saw impressive gains in 2024, even breaking the US$5 per pound mark in May. However, the red metal's gains didn't last, and by the end of the year copper had retreated back to the US$4 range.
The start of 2025 could be eventful, with Donald Trump returning to the Oval Office, a new stimulus package coming into effect in China and a continued push for greener technologies around the world.
What will these factors mean for copper prices in the new year? Will they rise, or can investors expect the base metal to remain rangebound? Here's a look at what experts see coming for the important commodity.
Trump will be sworn in for his second term as US president on January 20.
During his campaign, he made bold promises that could shake up the American resource sector, pushing a "drill, baby, drill" mantra and committing to increasing oil production in the country.
When it comes to copper, Trump's proposed changes to environmental regulations could have key implications. While the Biden administration has sought to toughen these rules, Trump will look to relax them.
In an email to the Investing News Network (INN), Eleni Joannides, Wood Mackenzie's research director for copper, said changes to environmental regulations are likely to benefit the mining sector overall.
“The former president has already pledged to overturn a 20 year moratorium on mining in Northern Minnesota. This pro-mining approach means more mines could be permitted and put into production,” she said.
One project that was being planned before the Biden administration restricted access to federal lands in the Superior National Forest belongs to Twin Metals Minnesota, a subsidiary of Antofagasta (LSE:ANTO,OTC Pink:ANFGF). The company has been working to advance its underground copper, nickel, cobalt and platinum-metals group project since 2006, and has submitted plans to state and federal regulatory agencies.
Another copper-focused project that may benefit from the incoming Trump administration is Northern Dynasty Minerals' (TSX:NDM,NYSEAMERICAN:NAK) controversial Pebble project in Alaska.
The company has been exploring the Bristol Bay region since acquiring the property in 2001, but the US Army Corps of Engineers denied approval in 2020; the Environmental Protection Agency did the same in 2021.
Northern Dynasty has been fighting these decisions at both the state and federal level. It reached the Supreme Court in January 2024, but was denied a hearing until the dispute is examined at the state level.
On December 20, Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy added his support for the project when he petitioned the incoming president to issue an Alaska-specific executive order on his first day in office. The order would effectively reverse decisions made by the Biden administration, including the permitting of the Pebble project.
In addition to Pebble, projects like Rio Tinto (ASX:RIO,NYSE:RIO,LSE:RIO) and BHP’s (ASX:BHP,NYSE:BHP,LSE:BHP) Resolution, and Hudbay Minerals' (TSX:HBM,NYSE:HBM) Copper World, both of which are in Arizona, may benefit from Trump’s plan to reduce permitting times on projects worth over US$1 billion.
Currently, large-scale operations like these can take up to 20 years to move from exploration to production in the US. Copper is considered a critical mineral for the energy transition, and is increasingly becoming a security concern as the US is largely dependent on China for its supply of copper.
As tensions continue to grow between the west and eastern nations like China and Russia, it may not take much to threaten markets for critical materials, including copper.
Trump has already promised to impose a 60 percent tariff on all goods coming from China.
A tariff on copper imports could upend the president-elect's plans for the resource sector. It would increase the prices of copper imports and disrupt the overall economy.
“The risk is that the president-elect’s threatened tariffs, including 60 percent on China and 20 percent on all other nations, could derail global economic growth, lead to higher inflation and, with that, tighten monetary policy and also lead to a change in trade flows. Copper will suffer if demand takes a hit," Joannides said.
"In addition, there is likely to be continued volatility in prices,” she added.
In its recent analysis of Trump’s policies, ING sees an overall negative impact on global metals demand.
The firm believes that many of his plans, including tariffs, will cause the US Federal Reserve take a longer-term approach to reducing interest rates, which could affect investment in large-scale copper projects.
S&P Global expressed a similar view after Trump's win. Immediately after the election, copper prices sank 4 percent to fall under US$4.30, with the firm suggesting that is likely just the beginning. The organization notes that while the market may have already priced in Trump’s tariffs, a larger trade war could impact prices even further.
China's faltering economy has been a major headwind for copper over the past several years.
The country's housing market accounts for roughly 30 percent of global demand for the red metal, meaning that any shifts could have significant implications for the copper market.
The sector has been struggling for the past few years as the country deals with economic issues, including fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic, which caused disruptions to supply chains and a spike in unemployment.
Ultimately, economic factors struck China's real estate sector, an important driver of the country’s gross domestic product; this caused the collapse of the nation's top two developers, China Evergrande Group and Country Garden.
So far, the government’s attempts to stimulate the economy and jumpstart the beleaguered real estate sector have largely failed. In September, it announced measures aimed at property buyers, such as reducing interest rates for existing mortgages by 50 points and cutting the minimum downpayment requirement for homes to 15 percent.
Other changes introduced at the time include more help from the People’s Bank of China, which will provide a lending facility for state-owned firms to acquire unsold flats for affordable housing.
China followed this up with an announcement in November that it will provide additional support for local governments by increasing their debt-raising capacity by 6 trillion yuan over the next six years.
While these measures may not be felt for some time, kickstarting the Asian nation's real estate sector could be a boon for copper producers and investors.
“If the Chinese real estate market were to post a recovery, this would see domestic demand for copper tick higher and could lead to a tighter supply and demand balance overall, assuming all other things remain unchanged. This would underpin even higher prices than we are currently projecting,” said Joannides.
With copper demand projected to grow long term, supply-side concerns are rising. According to Joannides, there is already recognition that copper exploration has been underinvested over the past few years.
“We are seeing signs this could change. Much of the growth over the last five years has come from brownfield expansions rather than greenfield/new discoveries," she explained to INN.
"Technology will likely help increase the chance of discovery, and broadly I would say that policymakers are now more supportive of mineral exploration as the push to secure critical raw materials supply has moved up the agenda."
Joannides pointed to greenfield projects already in the pipeline, including Capstone Copper’s (TSX:CS,OTC Pink:CSCCF) Santo Domingo in Chile, Southern Copper’s (NYSE:SCCO) Tia Maria in Peru and Teck Resources' (TSX:TECK.A,TECK.B,NYSE:TECK) Zarfanal in Peru.
There's also Northmet, a Teck and Glencore (LSE:GLEN,OTC Pink:GLCNF) joint venture in Minnesota.
Rising copper prices could also increase the flow of money from the major companies into the junior space, where most of the exploration is currently occurring.
“Copper has become the standout strategic preference for the major mining companies. The risk-adjusted cost of developing organic copper assets is higher than the cost of acquiring them,” Joannides said.
This kind of acquisition activity could help reduce the development time of assets compared to companies starting exploration from scratch.
While copper supply and demand conditions are expected to remain tight in 2025, competing forces are at play.
One of the biggest factors is Trump’s return to the White House. If the president-elect takes action as quickly as he has promised, investors could soon gain insight on the long-term implications of his policies.
In terms of China, it will take time to get the property sector back to where it was before the pandemic; however, there may be sparks early in the year as new measures start to work their way through the market.
During 2025 it may be even more prudent than usual for investors to do their due diligence on copper and keep an eye on the forces that may affect the market.
Don’t forget to follow us @INN_Resource for real-time news updates!
Securities Disclosure: I, Dean Belder, hold shares of Northern Dynasty Minerals.
Editorial Disclosure: Dore Copper is a client of the Investing News Network. This article is not paid-for content.
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.
The copper price began 2025 on a rebound, spending time above US$5 per pound during Q1 after trading within the US$4 to US$4.50 range for most of 2024's second half.
Starting strong, the red metal climbed from US$3.99 on January 2 to reach US$4.40 by mid-month.
It then eased slightly, ending January at US$4.25. February once again brought momentum as copper climbed steadily to US$4.76 on February 13. However, the price retreated and ended the month at US$4.53.
Copper price, January 2 to April 9, 2025.
Chart via Trading Economics.
The copper price saw significant gains throughout March, breaking through the US$5 mark on March 19. It set a new all-time high of US$5.22 on March 26 before falling to US$5.04 on March 31.
Since then, copper has been under pressure, and the price of the metal plunged to US$4.26 on April 7.
The first quarter of the year was dynamic for copper, but few factors have influenced the market for the base metal more than the threat of tariffs from the US. This possibility has created a wider price gap between London Metal Exchange (LME) copper and Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) copper.
According to an ING article published in mid-February, the CME price was more than 10 percent higher than the LME price at the time, prompting traders to begin shifting copper inventories from overseas warehouses into the US.
This movement elevated stockpiles at CME warehouses to over 100,000 metric tons, the highest level since they peaked at 250,000 metric tons during Donald Trump’s first presidency.
Overall, the US relies on copper imports, which account for 45 percent of its domestic consumption. Chile constitutes 35 percent of incoming supply, while Canada contributes 26 percent.
The majority of copper inflows are in the form of refined copper products, which make up 60 percent of US imports.
On February 25, Trump signed an executive order invoking Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act to initiate an investigation into the impact of copper imports on all forms on national security.
In the order, Trump noted that while the US has ample copper reserves, its smelting and refining capacity has declined. China has become the world’s leading supplier of refined copper, commanding a 50 percent market share.
During a mid-March CRU Group webinar focused on copper, Erik Heimlich, head of base metals at the firm, discussed why Trump may have announced the start of the investigation.
“Their reliance on imports has been growing systematically, and with the closure not so long ago of the Hayden smelter and the Amarillo refinery, that has increased even more,” he said.
Heimlich further explained that Trump may want to use copper tariffs to encourage a resurgence of copper processing in the US based on national security concerns. This point was reiterated by Bryan Billie, policy and geopolitical principal at Benchmark Mineral Intelligence, during a virtual panel held at the beginning of April.
“The big question here is whether US dependencies on copper imports are supposedly compromising national security. That’s the legal rationale behind the investigation,” Billie said.
He also discussed the timeline, noting that Section 232 investigations typically take 270 days to complete, although they can be shorter. While it remains uncertain whether the investigation will lead to tariffs, it could also result in export controls, which might pose additional challenges in global copper markets.
Michael Finch, Benchmark’s head of strategic initiatives, suggested that the review is likely to take weeks rather than months, and could actually bring some relief to the market.
“I think, given that the market now expects the announcement on Section 232 to arrive a bit sooner than previously anticipated, I don’t believe as much copper will be trapped in the US as we progress through the coming quarters ... I think it's part of that trend that we’re witnessing a softening in the copper price,” he said.
Other factors that have affected the copper price include a major power outage in Chile at the end of February.
Chile declared a state of emergency to address the outage, which left more than 8 million homes and a significant portion of the country’s mining operations without power.
The outage resulted from a transmission line failure in the northern part of the country, causing BHP (NYSE:BHP,ASX:BHP,LSE:BHP) to shut down operations at Escondida, the world’s largest copper mine.
Although power was restored in a few days, COMEX copper futures for March rose by 0.9 percent.
An additional supply disruption occurred in March, when Glencore (LSE:GLEN,OTC Pink:GLCNF) declared force majeure and halted copper shipments from its Altonorte operation in Chile. The refinery produces 350,000 metric tons of copper anode annually, and a prolonged shutdown could impact an already tight copper market.
On a fundamental level, the International Copper Study Group provided preliminary data for January’s supply and demand conditions on March 21. In its release, the group outlines an apparent deficit of 19,000 metric tons of refined copper in the first month of the year, down from the 24,000 metric ton deficit reported in January 2024.
Supply and demand for refined copper maintained a balance at the start of the year, with each growing by 1 percent. Supply-side growth was largely constrained by a 14 percent drop in Chilean output.
Mine production experienced a 2 percent increase in January, with 7 percent year-on-year growth from Peru. The ramp up of production at Anglo American’s (LSE: AAL,OTCQX:AAUFK) Quellaveco mine was a key factor.
Additionally, supply increased by 6 percent in the Democratic Republic of Congo due to the expansion of Ivanhoe Mines' (TSX:IVN,OTCQX:IVPAF) Kamoa-Kakula mine. A 3 percent increase in Asian production was offset by a 2 percent decline in North America. Chile also saw a fall of 2.7 percent compared to the same period last year.
Copper is tied closely to the global economy, making this a key factor to watch.
“CRU economists continue to expect global GDP to grow by 2.6 percent in 2025, and refined copper demand to grow by around 2.9 percent in both this and next year, which is actually an increase compared to our previous forecast. So despite the dramatic macro and geopolitical events that we have witnessed over the last few months, the base-case demand narrative for copper remains robust,” Heimlich said in mid-March.
However, he also noted that this base-case scenario is surrounded by uncertainty.
That uncertainty has come to the forefront at the start of Q2. Copper prices fell nearly 20 percent at the beginning of April as the Trump administration announced a new round of base-level and reciprocal tariffs.
Investors experienced a significant selloff as the prospect of a recession became more pronounced.
A recession would substantially impact base metals, including copper, as consumers turn away from big-ticket items like new homes and cars, which require large quantities of these materials
For investors, uncertainty will likely remain for some time. A Section 232 outcome could help stabilize copper, or it could escalate other aspects of a trade war between the US and the rest of the world.
It also remains unclear how long Trump’s tariffs will be in place.
This situation could provide opportunities for investors with an appetite for risk who are looking to make bets. Others may prefer to remain on the sidelines and wait for more clarity on the global trade front.
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Securities Disclosure: I, Dean Belder, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
Lobo Tiggre of IndependentSpeculator.com also shared his 2025 outlook for gold, silver and uranium.
Lobo Tiggre, CEO of IndependentSpeculator.com, gave the Investing News Network his updated thoughts on the US economy, as well as his outlook for gold, silver and uranium in 2025.
However, he said his highest-confidence trade for next year is copper.
Don't forget to follow us @INN_Resource for real-time updates!
Securities Disclosure: I, Charlotte McLeod, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
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"I think that the world has just gone through a one-way door," said Lobo Tiggre of IndependentSpeculator.com.
Lobo Tiggre, CEO of IndependentSpeculator.com, shares his latest thoughts on gold, noting that bullish factors are stacking up in its favor. Among them are recent moves from the Trump administration and a potential rise in global gold allocations.
Tiggre also discusses copper, silver and uranium.
Click here to view the Investing News Network's Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada convention playlist on YouTube.
Don't forget to follow us @INN_Resource for real-time updates!
Securities Disclosure: I, Charlotte McLeod, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
Affiliate Disclosure: The Investing News Network may earn commission from qualifying purchases or actions made through the links or advertisements on this page.
Investor and author Gianni Kovacevic shared his thoughts on copper market dynamics, saying that while the long-term trend is up, speculators can create significant shorter-term prices moves.
He also mentioned three copper companies he's interested in right now: CopperNico Metals (TSX:COPR,OTCQB:CPPMF), Entree Resources (TSX:ETG,OTCQB:ERLFF) and Horizon Copper (TSXV:HCU,OTCQX:HNCUF).
In addition to copper, Kovacevic spoke about the growing opportunity he sees in lithium, highlighting how major miners like Rio Tinto (ASX:RIO,NYSE:RIO,LSE:RIO) are increasing their exposure to this important battery metal.
"We are going to have a supply shortage. Not in the distant future — in the next 18 to 36 months it'll be a front-page story, and it will be dovetailed with ... oil and gas. And with that comes the oil and gas investor," he said.
Shaun Bunn, Managing Director, said:"I am pleased to confirm the successful completion of this Subscription, which has increased participation from our institutional shareholders in Asia andAustralia. The Subscription was led by Asian Investment Management Services Ltd, an existing shareholder.
"The continued support from institutional investors highlights the scale and quality of the titanium discovery at Pitfield, and the opportunities that it brings. The additional funds strengthen our balance sheet, increasing our cash position to £7.1 million, and will be deployed to expand the planned drilling programme with the objective of establishing a globally significant Mineral Resource Estimate ('MRE'); progress the bulk metallurgical testwork so as to deliver high-purity TiO2 product samples to end users; and bring forward the commencement of economic studies.
"With momentum building in 2025, Empire is in a strong position to advance Pitfield and capitalise on the global focus on critical minerals such as titanium."
Use of Funds
The proceeds of the Subscription, together with existing cash reserves of £2.6 million, will be primarily used to:
Laboratory testwork results to date have been encouraging and the use of conventional processing techniques has increased management's confidence that the process flowsheet can deliver high-value commercial end products. Development focus now has turned to optimising the various processing steps and commencing mine option studies. Proceeds from this equity placement fully fund the Company through these important, project development workstreams.
Application for Admission and Total Voting Rights
The Subscription Shares will rank pari passu in all respects with the existing ordinary shares of no par value in the capital of the Company. Application has been made to the London Stock Exchange for the Subscription Shares to be admitted to trading on AIM ('Admission'). It is expected that Admission will become effective on or around 30 May 2025. As a result of the issue of the Subscription Shares as described above, the issued share capital of the Company now consists of 689,633,233 ordinary shares of no-par value.
Market Abuse Regulation (MAR) Disclosure
Certain information contained in this announcement would have been deemed inside information for the purposes of Article 7 of Regulation (EU) No 596/2014, as incorporated into UK law by the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018, until the release of this announcement.
**ENDS**
For further information please visit www.empiremetals.com or contact:
About Empire Metals Limited
Empire Metals is an AIM-listed and OTCQB-traded exploration and resource development company (LON: EEE) with a primary focus on developing Pitfield, an emerging giant titanium project in Western Australia.
The high-grade titanium discovery at Pitfield is of unprecedented scale, with airborne surveys identifying a massive, coincident gravity and magnetics anomaly extending over 40km by 8km by 5km deep. Drill results have indicated excellent continuity in grades and consistency of the mineralised beds and confirm that the sandstone beds hold the higher-grade titanium dioxide (TiO₂) values within the interbedded succession of sandstones, siltstones and conglomerates. The Company is focused on two key prospects (Cosgrove and Thomas), which have been identified as having thick, high-grade, near-surface, bedded TiO₂ mineralisation, each being over 7km in strike length.
An Exploration Target* for Pitfield was declared in 2024, covering the Thomas and Cosgrove mineral prospects, and was estimated to contain between 26.4 to 32.2 billion tonnes with a grade range of 4.5 to 5.5% TiO2. Included within the total Exploration Target* is a subset that covers the weathered sandstone zone, which extends from surface to an average vertical depth of 30m to 40m and is estimated to contain between 4.0 to 4.9 billion tonnes with a grade range of 4.8 to 5.9% TiO2.
The Exploration Target* covers an area less than 20% of the overall mineral system at Pitfield which demonstrates the potential for significant further upside.
Empire is now accelerating the economic development of Pitfield, with a vision to produce a high-value titanium metal or pigment quality product at Pitfield, to realise the full value potential of this exceptional deposit.
The Company also has two further exploration projects in Australia; the Eclipse Project and the Walton Project in Western Australia, in addition to three precious metals projects located in a historically high-grade gold producing region of Austria.
*The potential quantity and grade of the Exploration Target is conceptual in nature. There has been insufficient exploration to estimate a Mineral Resource and it is uncertain if further exploration will result in the estimation of a Mineral Resource.
This information is provided by RNS, the news service of the London Stock Exchange. RNS is approved by the Financial Conduct Authority to act as a Primary Information Provider in the United Kingdom. Terms and conditions relating to the use and distribution of this information may apply. For further information, please contact rns@lseg.com or visit www.rns.com.