RE:Can Marathon make any money from copper alone?at a $4.50 per pound copper price and $1000 ounce Palladium price. The Marathon mine would be profitable. With earnings per share coming in at about $.50 to $1.00 per share. PGM prices can't remain this low very much longer or most of the PGM mines in South Africa will have to cut production or close. All the big minors are already talking about this and making plans in South Africa to cut back. This year's Palladium deficit is predicted to come in at about 900,000 ounces. if platinum and palladium remain under $1000 per ounce I predict next year's palladium deficit to be 1,.500,000 to 2,000,000 oz..