The copper story morphed from boring to exciting when the world decided to build AI data centers on every available piece of land. And it keeps getting better. This past week:
US Interior Department proposes adding copper to critical minerals list
WASHINGTON, Aug 25 (Reuters) - The U.S. on Monday proposed adding copper and potash among others to the draft critical minerals list for 2025, for their importance to the economy and national security.
Inclusion on the list, which is typically updated every three years, can make projects eligible for federal funding, subject to a streamlined permitting process, or more competitive due to fees placed on imports, according to the Bipartisan Policy Center.
Copper is widely used in transportation, defense, and the U.S. power grid, which needs revamping amid the first rise in electricity demand in two decades on the rise in data centers and artificial intelligence.
Not surprisingly, our copper stocks are rising, though with, in contrast to the precious metals space, the “lottery ticket” explorers leading the way. There are at least a couple of potential 10-baggers here.
So this seems like a good time to reprint the original October 2024 recommendations for those emerging copper miners: