The world is sliding into a copper deficit over the next couple of years as one of the world's largest copper mines was forced to shutter operations while demand for the refined metal remains elevated due to renewable energy infrastructure and electric vehicles demand.
Warnings of a copper squeeze come as the Panamanian government recently closed First Quantum Minerals Ltd.'s $10 billion Cobre Panama copper mine, which produces 400,000 tons of copper annually and is considered one of the largest copper mines in the world.