Copper, iron, bauxite facing major ESG challenges

Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold (NYSE: FCX) will start its $4 billion mill expansion at the Cerro Verde copper operation in Peru next year, said CEO Richard Adkerson a conference call to discuss second quarter results published Thursday.

Early results indicate approximately 100% of available common shares subscribed, generating $1.8 Billion in gross proceeds

An Argentine court ruled Wednesday in favour of suspending Famatina, a gold exploration project led by Canadian company Osisko (TSX:OSK), until a new ruling outlawing mining near glaciers is applied in the area.

Credit Suisse announced Wednesday it recruited David Hammond, the well-known mining banker from Morgan Stanley, to head up the mining and metals efforts of the Swiss bank worldwide.

Panamanian farmers in the country's rainforest regions have teamed up with environmental activists to protest the impact of Canadian mining operations on the local environment, as well as halt the construction of what is slated to be one of the world's largest copper mines by Inmet Mining (TSX:IMN).

The Vancouver-based gold junior's stock was worth a mere 7.5c when the first drill results from its Las Tres Palmas trend in the Dominican Republic was first released. By June 1 it had increased ten-fold. On Wednesday it gained another 22% after new drill results hinted just how rich the Romero discovery may eventually turn out to be.

Chilean state giant Codelco, the world's largest copper producer, submitted Wednesday an environmental permit request to go ahead with its $12.8 million project to maximize the benefit from ore extracted from El Teniente copper mine, the company’s most profitable division. The initiative is part of the $2.2 billion expansion for El Teniente.

The letter sent to the SEC by Senator Carl Levin, a Michigan democrat, states this type of investment vehicle in copper would also make the market “more susceptible to squeezes and corners by speculators”.

Copper is one of the most widely used metals on the planet, and has been for more than 10,000 years. Visual Capitalist has created an infographic on red metal's use throughout history.