Maike Metals was until recently responsible for more than a quarter of China’s copper imports.

How First Quantum’s $10 billion copper mine went from promised economic boom to cause of mass popular unrest is a story peculiar to Panama but one that has a moral for the global mining industry.

The drivers stopped shipping the green-energy metals from the mining hub of Kolwezi around the end of October.

The news about the Caribou mine came in the form of a news release from Canadian Copper, which is advancing the early-stage Murray Brook West property nearby.

Codelco is shipping less of the metal to China after a burst of new domestic capacity in the Asian nation.

Saudi Arabia has shown interest in acquiring government stakes in Pakistan's Reko Diq mine.

Indonesia and Freeport discussed a 10% increase in the country's ownership in copper miner Freeport Indonesia.