On April 16, spot silver traded between $32.28 and $33.11. The white metal closed with a strong gain of 1.57 per cent at $32.90 as gold surged and the US Dollar Index and yields slumped.
Per Silver Institute, silver industrial demand rose 4 percent in 2024 to 680.5 million ounces (Moz), reaching a new record high for the fourth consecutive year.
Source – Business Standard
Freeport-McMoRan (FCX.N), opens new tab hopes U.S. President Donald Trump declares copper a critical mineral, a move that would unlock tax credits needed to boost American production of the red metal and offset global rivals, CEO Kathleen Quirk said on Monday.
“Having the incentives and clarity around those would be a big plus for the domestic copper industry,” said Quirk, who became CEO of Phoenix-based Freeport last year.
“People are understanding more what copper is used for and its importance in our economy. It’s just a matter of time before it’s classified as a critical mineral.”
“We’re not looking for handouts, but if the government is trying to incentivize domestic production, it’s important to recognize that the U.S. doesn’t have the same grades that we have internationally,” said Quirk.
Source – Reuters
Chilean state miner Codelco, the world’s largest copper producer, is targeting production of 1.391 million metric tons of the red metal this year, according to an unpublished government decree approving its 2025 budget reviewed by Reuters.
In calculating its budget, Codelco forecast a copper price of $4.30 per pound and expects a cash cost of $1.98 per pound, the document showed.
Source – Reuters
The Canadian mining company on Wednesday set a 2025 production target of between 520,000 and 580,000 metric tons of copper at its Kamoa-Kakula operation.
Ivanhoe expects to produce between 180,000 and 240,000 tons of zinc at its Kipushi zinc-copper-germanium-silver mine.
Ivanhoe said that during the last day of the year, a record 750 tons of zinc were produced over a 24-hour period, exceeding the operation’s nameplate capacity.
Source – Market Watch
“These projections are supported by a rise in copper demand from the energy transition, electricity grids and a limited supply,” Claudia Rodriguez, Cochilco’s interim VP, said in a statement, adding that geopolitical tensions also played a role.
“Uncertainty about China’s economic recovery, tariffs implemented by the United States and the hardening of monetary policy could limit the demand for copper, affecting its price,” Rodriguez said.
It also expects Chile’s copper production to rise by 4.6% this year to 5.76 million tons and grow another 3.6% to 5.97 million tons in 2026.
Source – Mining.com
Africa’s copper industry is poised for growth in 2025, with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Zambia – the continent’s largest producers – leading market expansion. Both countries are investing in new production mines, mineral exploration campaigns and the modernization of existing facilities to increase output.
Source – Sweet Crude Reports
Gold prices were little changed on Wednesday as investors waited for the Federal Reserve’s policy decision and comments from Chair Jerome Powell, while platinum surged to a more than four-year peak.
Spot gold was steady at $3,387.89 an ounce by 1145 a.m. EDT (1545 GMT).
“The prevailing trend of seeking alternative stores of value beyond the U.S. dollar remains strong, driven by a growing desire for assets that are independent of external control,” said Ryan McIntyre, Managing Partner at Sprott Inc.
Spot silver fell 1% to $36.87 per ounce
Platinum added 3.5% to $1,306.68, highest since February 2021.
Source – Reuters
