Interesting article..... The article assumes though that the global market is recovering. If copper would get to high, manufacturers of wire would use alternative metals to replace copper and having lived in Arizona for 12 years, I know that there are abandoned copper mines closed down because copper wasn't worth mining for a time, and they could be reopened.....granted it would take time to mine it. I just don't think copper can skyrocket too much, but ya never know..... The 3 C's of Arizona: Cotton, Cattle, and Copper!!!!!
Times have changed in Arizona mining. Laws and regulations have reduced the amount of migrant labor available, environmental concerns ( especially when one considers that local water is more important to Arizona than the profits of out of state companies). The huge Bisbee mine as are several other mining areas such as Jerome is now surrounded by environmentalists, artists and retirees communities and is determined to keep it that way. Even under the best conditions, I would not see copper mining on a large scale to return toi Az. within 5-7 years ( IMO) . Jim
I think they might pull some copper out of the mines here in Nevada, but with the surge in Silver, I imagine it's byproduct ? But when copper piping is stolen from everyplace and building it can be for recycling, one has to wonder. We even had a death in Las Vegas of someone trying to steal copper wiring that was Hot, recently. gary
Howdy, The western end of the Upper Peninsula in Michigan is Copper Country. Go back over a 100-150 years and it was like Virginia City. It's pure nugget copper and referred to as 'float copper' because the nuggets rise to the surface and float on the soil. Calumet almost became the capitol of Michigan instead of Lansing because of the copper and the mining population. Downtown, they've got a float nugget on the square that's huge and some about 6 feet long and 3-4 feet in diameter. Here are some images from google: http://www.google.com/images?hl=en&...snum=2&sqi=2&ved=0CDMQsAQwAQ&biw=1276&bih=746 The reason they stopped mining was not because they ran out of copper but because the mines got so deep they couldn't keep them dry. Also, this part of Michigan averages over 110-120 inches of snow every winter. Yeah, their sidewalks become tunnels. peace, rono
I believe that the copper price will stay up and rise as mining costs do. It's never going to be a PM, but it's not going to be cheap either, even if it is being replaced by other metals in piping and wiring. It still gets consumed in items like refrigeration lines, etc. where pvc isn't going to work. Besides, I can afford to hoard copper cents. lol
