RE:copper updateThing is, copper in the ground ain't worth much. There's 2.1 Billion Tons of Copper in the ground, most of it worth about 1 cent a lb.
Its copper brought to the surface economically that is worth something. If you can't monetize copper in the ground when times are good, then you have to take on massive debt, and give away a lot of the copper in the ground just to bring a little more topside.
Gotta have the copper in the ground, and the infrastructure, money, and management to bring it up to trade it for 3.70 per lb, less processing and refining charges.