Now here is some interesting reading. An extract from an article...

Now here is some interesting reading. An extract from an article in today's Australian by Matt Chambers about Rio needing to ramp up Copper output due to future global shortfalls.

‘The world is going to need a lot more copper and it’s harder to bring on, so going forward I think copper is going to be very prospective,’’ Rio chief Sam Walsh told investors in Sydney yesterday.

‘Between 2012 and 2025, the industry will need to add an extra two million tonnes of annual capacity just to maintain current production levels,’’ Mr Jacques said.

‘But with demand predicted to increase, we predict the supply gap could actually reach nine million tonnes of annual capacity by 2025.’’
With annual demand currently at about 18 million tonnes per year and the world’s biggest copper mine, Escondida in Chile, producing about one million tonnes, this will not be an easy gap to fill.