Codelco’s Copper Production Fell 10.4% YoY In The First Quarter, Optimism Over Recovering Chinese Demand Boosted Copper Prices, But Recession Fears Capped Gains

A copper-zinc mine in northeastern Saskatchewan is about to achieve commercial production, and the Canadian federal government has designated it as a project of national significance.At a project update held in Saskatoon on Wednesday, Canadian miner Eldorado Gold said its Mcllvenna Bay underground mine produced copper concentrates in June and zinc concentrates in July, and plans to commence commercial production by the end of Q3 this year.

Adamera Minerals has identified a strong induced polarization (IP) anomaly at its South Hedley copper-gold property in British Columbia. The anomaly is at least 2.8 kilometres wide and extends more than 325 metres downward, indicating the presence of a large sulphide system at depth.The scale and chargeability of the anomaly are comparable to nearby large copper-gold deposits, and rock samples show copper grades up to 2,000 ppm. After exploration was delayed by wildfires, IP surveying has now resumed. The company plans to continue surveying, analyse samples, and expedite drilling permit applications to further explore the target area.

Russian mining company Udokan Copper said its plant in Russia's Far East has begun producing copper cathode, nearly three years later than originally planned, after a fire delayed the launch.Udokan is Russia's largest copper mine project and is currently under US sanctions. The company began producing copper concentrates in September 2023. Its operator had planned to start up a hydrometallurgical plant in Q2 2024 to produce copper cathode or concentrates using solvent extraction-electrodeposition (SX-EW) technology, with capacity of up to 135,000 mt per year.Phase-one production at the project is expected to increase to 150,000 mt per year from 2026, with output targeting the Chinese market as well as export markets in China and other Asian countries.