Fatal Accident at Rio Tinto's Kennecott Copper Mine Halts Operations in Utah

Ivanhoe Mines (TSX: IVN) founder and co-chairman Robert Friedland is warning that a prolonged closure of the Strait of Hormuz would have a “profound” effect on global supply chains, hobbling copper producers by driving up sulphur and sulphuric acid prices and causing shortages.

Antofagasta Plc is taking an early look at opportunities in Argentina as sweeping policy changes revive interest in one of the world’s most promising new copper frontiers, chief executive officer Iván Arriagada said in an interview.The Chilean miner would consider entering through standalone exploration or a partnership with existing projects, such as Glencore Plc’s El Pachón, which is just across the border from Antofagasta’s flagship mine in Chile, Arriagada said Monday. The interest is at an early stage, without any specific targets, he said.

Canadian Copper (CSE: CCI) has secured up to C$96 million ($70 million) to advance the development of its Murray Brook project in New Brunswick as well as the buildout of the nearby Caribou processing plant. On Tuesday, the company announced that both OR Royalties (TSX: OR) and Ocean Partners UK have committed to funding the project and associated facility, which together form the larger Bathurst mining complex.