India approves $297m incentive policy for lithium, nickel processing

India‘s cabinet approved on Wednesday an incentive policy worth 28.14-billion rupees ($297-million) to boost domestic processing of lithium and nickel, the government said in a statement, in a move aimed at reducing the country’s reliance on supply chains dominated by China. India has a high import dependence on critical minerals such as lithium, and tighter conditions following export controls by …

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US copper pipeline could reach 1.3 million tonnes a year as critical minerals push gathers pace, says JP Morgan

JPMorgan, the investment bank, says a focus on securing critical minerals supply is reviving US copper investment, lifting its estimate of potential new supply to about 1.3 million tonnes a year. US mined output has fallen about 50% over 30 years to roughly 1 million tonnes, and its share of global mined output has dropped from about 50% in 1900 …

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World Bank lifts copper price outlook by 18%

Copper prices are set to stay near record highs next year as new mines struggle to keep pace with demand from power grids and data centres, the World Bank forecasts. The bank raised its 2027 copper price estimate 18% from April to $13,000 (C$18,250) per tonne, or about $5.90 per lb., in its October outlook, released Wednesday. That’s only 1.5% …

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Base metals outlooks diverge as supply concerns dominate

Record copper prices clash with weaker physical demand and squeezed smelter margins Discussions on copper during LME Week focused on the gap between record prices and physical demand, pressure on smelter margins and the time needed for new mine supply to reach the market. Downstream buyers had pulled back as prices rose, according to Tanja Winter, executive director and head …

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Copper Deficit to Reach 44% of Demand by 2050, BloombergNEF Warns

BNEF Outlook Flags 44% Shortfall BloombergNEF published its annual Transition Metals Outlook on Tuesday, October 20, and copper emerges as the exception in an otherwise well-supplied picture. Nine of the ten transition materials the report covers should have enough supply through 2050. Copper does not: the research house projects a shortfall of 20 million tonnes by mid-century, equal to roughly …

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AI boom ‘overhyped’ as copper demand driver

“We’re not at current price levels in base metals because of demand conditions,” Snowdon said. He said copper was at $14,500 per tonne because of US policy, while aluminium and zinc prices had been supported by supply “going backwards” for long periods this year. The London Metal Exchange three-month copper price closed at $14,420.50 per tonne at 5pm on Tuesday …

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Nickel shortage forecast flips to surplus

The global nickel market is heading for another surplus this year, reversing an earlier forecast for a shortage, the International Nickel Study Group says. Production is forecast at 3.87 million tonnes against demand of 3.85 million tonnes in 2026, leaving a 19,000-tonne surplus. The excess is expected to widen to 70,000 tonnes next year, the Lisbon-based intergovernmental body said in …

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Aluminium’s calm belies lingering supply-chain stress, Reuters column says

Iranian missile attacks on Gulf smelters and the blocking of the Strait of Hormuz have knocked out almost 3-million metric tons of aluminium production capacity. Yet, eight months on, the market is seemingly unconcerned. Indeed, London Metal Exchange (LME) three-month aluminium is now trading just above $3 000 a ton, which is where it was in early February before the …

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Copper Demand Is Forecast to Rise 50% by 2040. Mined Supply Is Expected to Peak Around 2030

Global copper demand is projected to rise about 50%, from roughly 28 million metric tons in 2025 to 42 million metric tons by 2040, according to S&P Global’s January 2026 outlook, which warns that the market could face a shortfall of up to 10 million metric tons by 2040 without major new mining and processing investment. The Business Research Company …

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