Despite some price retracing in 2011, the copper physical market fundamentals remain strong; with liquid stocks near an all-time low. China’s growth will continue to underpin copper’s performance although it may not be the “market saviour” that it was in 2009. In the longer term, according to Intierra Resource Intelligence, increased mine supply will temporarily overwhelm the market. This will create a dip in the price of copper from 2014 to 2017 followed by a recovery in the last part of the decade. Production costs will become more of a factor in determining the price of copper and these costs are higher than in the past.

Intierra’s Executive Director, Glen Jones, will present Copper: Market Dynamics and the Exploration Pipeline at the PDAC 2012 Conference in Toronto, Canada on Sunday March 4 at 2:15 pm. This talk is part of the Commodities and Market Outlook session.

The PDAC four-day annual Convention held in Toronto, Canada has grown in size, stature and influence since it began in 1932 and today is the event of choice for the world’s mineral industry. In addition to meeting over 1,000 exhibitors and 27,000 attendees from 120 countries, it allows the opportunity to attend technical sessions, short courses, the Prospector’s Tent, the Core Shack as well as social and networking events.