We usually think of gold and silver, and sometimes platinum and palladium, as precious metals: they are rare, or seen as alternative currencies, or both. But "increasingly, copper is a precious metal" too, says Alan Livsey in the Financial Times.
Copper is becoming scarce. The yield of copper from each unit of ore mined is dwindling. In 2010 the 15 top producers' reserves boasted an average yield of 1.2%. By the end of 2016, the figure had fallen to 0.72%. Miners are therefore scrabbling to locate new supplies.
MoneyWeek
Subscribe to MoneyWeek today and get your first six magazine issues absolutely FREE
Sign up to Money Morning
Don't miss the latest investment and personal finances news, market analysis, plus money-saving tips with our free twice-daily newsletter
Don't miss the latest investment and personal finances news, market analysis, plus money-saving tips with our free twice-daily newsletter
More broadly, as the rapidly growing middle classes in emerging markets stock up on goods such as smartphones, cars, dishwashers and air conditioners, the world will need a lot more electricity and copper is one of the most conductive metals. The deficit in the copper market may not dissipate in a hurry.
-
Key lessons from the MoneyWeek Wealth Summit 2025Our annual MoneyWeek Wealth Summit featured a wide array of experts and ideas, and celebrated 25 years of MoneyWeek
-
Defeat into victory: the key to Simon Wolfson's successOpinion Next CEO Simon Wolfson claims he owes his success to a book on military strategy in World War II. What lessons does it hold, and how did he apply them to Next?
-
Key lessons from the MoneyWeek Wealth Summit 2025: focus on safety, value and growth
Our annual MoneyWeek Wealth Summit featured a wide array of experts and ideas, and celebrated 25 years of MoneyWeek
-
How to invest in copper, the most important metal in the worldCover Story As the world looks to electrify and try to move away from fossil fuels, copper looks set to be the biggest beneficiary. But how can you invest? Rupert Hargreaves analyses the sector.
-
How to invest in the multi-decade boom in industrial metalsTips The price of key industrial metals has already begun to rise. The renewable energy transition will take them higher, says David Stevenson. Here's how to profit.
-
The case for nickel – a crucial metal in the Green Energy RevolutionAnalysis Nickel’s use in batteries for electric vehicles makes it a vital metal for the 21st century. Dominic Frisby investigates how to invest.
-
Think Tesla is a bubble? This might be the best way to bet on it burstingOpinion The huge rise in Tesla’s share price means that, by market value, it’s now the sixth-largest company in the US and and the world’s biggest car-maker. Shorting it is a dangerous game. But there are other ways to bet on the bubble bursting. John Stepek explains how.
-
The electric-car bubble could get an awful lot bigger from hereOpinion The switch to electric cars is driving a huge investment bubble. But that’s not necessarily a bad thing, says John Stepek. Fortunes will be made and lost – but bubbles get things done.
-
The “green” bubble is here. What could burst it?Opinion Renewable energy, electric cars and the demise of fossil fuels – markets have embraced the green revolution with gusto. But there’s bound to be a snapback at some point, says John Stepek, Here’s why.
