Whisper it softly, but there are the very first signs that funds are turning more friendly to doctor copper, says columnist Andy Home.

The Canadian miner said operations at Elle Valle in Spain remain stable, and delivery of gold production “remains sustainable."

Initial production from Kakula, the first of at least three copper mines planned at Kamoa-Kakula, is scheduled for late 2021.

West Africa has long been considered a risky prospect where political instability, volatile tax regimes and tricky relations with small-scale miners weigh heavily on boardrooms.

The mines contain an estimated 160 million tonnes of mixed copper and polymetallic ore.

The state miner saw its production in the first nine months of 2019 drop 6.7% versus the previous year.