Copper

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.

First Quantum Minerals has announced it has temporarily suspended normal operations at its Guelb Moghrein copper-gold mine in Mauritania due to illegal strike action by some unionized employees.

New oil reserves could also create new centres of power and in the context of a general oil rush in Central and East Africa, the lack of clearly defined borders, especially in the Great Lakes region, poses significant risk for maintaining regional stability.

Investor fears about mining stocks are misplaced especially if those companies are mining in Mongolia. The country home to the largest copper deposit and this Gold Report explains why there is potential for dozens more similar finds.

The Democratic Party which campaigned on sharing more of the spoils of mining with Mongolian citizens won the majority of seats while the junior partner in the new ruling coalition, the MPRP – led by a former president Nambaryn Enkhbayar – bases its whole doctrine on taking back foreign-owned mines.

Negotiations among Peruvian authorities, Newmont Mining and the local communities with the intent to end the seven-month conflict over the $5 billion Conga project in the northern region of Cajamarca, are leaving out one key piece: the workers.

“We are looking for a small rebound in the third quarter and a bigger rebound in the fourth quarter.”