From Teck's presentation today, they stated that their copper growth potential over the next 5-7 years is expected to be 200%. We know that their production for the first 9 months of 2011 was 232,000 tonnes of copper. Scaling this is a full year results in an estimated 2011 production of 309,000 tonnes. Applying 200% growth indicates that copper production should be 927,000 tonnes by 2018. This is 618,000 tonnes more than 2011. Most of this extra production is already known:

QB Phase II: +200,000 tonnes/year

Relincho: +195,000 tonnes/year

Andacollo: +40,000 tonnes/year

Antamina: + 25,000 tonnes/year (my estimate)

Highland Valley: + 15,000 tonnes/year

However, this known extra production does meet Teck's guideline of 200% growth. There is still another 143,000 tonnes of production that must be generated from somewhere.

Could this unknown production come from Galore Creek? Nope, Teck's share of Galore Creek will only generate 87,000 tonnes of production by 2018.

Could this unknown production come from La Verde? Nope, Teck's share is only 40% and the resource is likely too small to support the production required.

Could this unknown production come from Schaft Creek? Quite likely. My estimate is that 100% of Schaft Creek could produce 139,000 tonnes.

The guidance given in Teck's presentations shows that Schaft Creek fills the gap in Teck's production perfectly.