In the first quarter 2014, total production was 34.5 million pounds of copper and 566 thousand pounds of molybdenum, a 49% and 59% increase, respectively, since the first quarter 2013.
Car maker Tesla prefers suppliers in North America for its $5 billion lithium-ion battery "gigafactory" in the southwest US which could provide a boost for Fortune Minerals proposed refinery near Saskatoon .