Inventories of aluminum, copper, nickel, and zinc, four of the main contracts traded on the London Metal Exchange, have plunged by up to 70 percent over the past year, as record power prices in Europe hit production and the Ukraine war threatened output from Russia, the Financial Times reports. Traders and big consumers have tapped warehouses…

Copper prices are one useful, under-the-radar indicator for investors to use as a gauge of U.S. economic health. Despite downward pressure on stock prices so far in 2022, copper prices have held up relatively well, a trend that has been reflected in the strength of underlying U.S. economic numbers. In the past year, the SPDR…

Republicans on the House Committee on Natural Resources held a forum Oct. 22 to discuss how President Biden’s exit from Afghanistan left massive, untapped reserves of rare-earth metals, lithium, and other vital minerals in Taliban hands, potentially opening them up to exploitation by China. Speakers said the Biden administration has simultaneously worked to hinder key…

Analysis The Federal Budget’s release on Tuesday has unveiled Australia’s mining sector as the foundation for Australia’s ambitious economic recovery plan, following the pandemic stemming from the CCP virus. The core of the budget lies in its funding, fueled by a rising demand—and rising cost—of metalliferous ores. Budget papers (pdf) showed that recent commodity prices,…

A piece of copper that was struck by the U.S. Mint in Philadelphia in 1794 and was a prototype for the fledgling nation’s money will go up for auction Friday. Businessman and Texas Rangers co-chairman Bob Simpson owns the item, which is known as the “No Stars Flowing Hair Dollar.” While it closely resembles silver…

New data shows consumers around the world stashed away massive amount in savings during the pandemic. Moody’s says the world’s excess savings reached over $5 trillion by the end of March. Who’s saving the most? Some natives Americans in the small town of Superior, Arizona believe the land there is sacred, while a mining company wants…

LAUNCESTON, Australia—China is paying a heavy toll for its efforts to punish Australia by banning or restricting certain commodity imports, while conversely Australia seems to have avoided any serious financial ramifications so far. Coal is the highest-profile Chinese target in the Australia row. Beijing effectively all but banned imports from Australia as part of its…