Chris Vermeulen, chief market strategist at TheTechnicalTraders.com, weighs in on gold’s record-setting price run and what could be next for the metal.
Vermeulen also discusses the outlook for silver, platinum and palladium.
Securities Disclosure: I, Charlotte McLeod, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
Astron (ASX:ATR) said on Monday (October 20) that Australia has granted major project status to the Donald rare earths and mineral sands project, its joint venture with Energy Fuels (TSX:EFR,NYSEAMERICAN:UUUU).
Donald is located approximately 300 kilometers northwest of Melbourne in Minyip, Victoria, Australia, and is regarded as “one of the world’s most significant rare earths resources outside China.”
It currently holds a total mineral resource of 1.81 billion tonnes grading 4.6 percent.
“This (designation) will streamline our engagement with federal agencies and accelerate our pathway to development,” commented Astron Managing Director Tiger Brown in a press release. “The Donald project will create significant employment opportunities and deliver long-term economic benefits to the Wimmera region of Victoria as well as strengthen Australia’s sovereign capability in critical minerals and advanced technology supply chains.”
Donald has a planned mine life of 58 years, with expected annual output of 9,000 tonnes of rare earths in Phase 1.
In a separate announcement, Energy Fuels said Export Finance Australia (EFA) has expressed support for the project and will provide AU$80 million via senior debt financing. The total amount needed to develop Donald is AU$520 million.
Energy Fuels CEO Mark Chalmers said that the support is a “key additional step” in the project’s financing pathway and a “strong vote of confidence” in the project’s capacity and potential.
“(It) reflects our on-going progress toward delivering one of Australia’s most important rare earth projects, including valuable NdPr, and exceptional concentrations of Dy, Tb and other ‘heavy’ rare earth oxides, which upon project development will be processed and separated into high-purity products at our White Mesa Mill in Utah,” he added.
According to a work plan for Donald published in June, the progression towards a final investment decision for the project is expected within 2025. Commencement of production at Donald is scheduled for 2027.
Rare earths have been heavily spotlighted this month after China dramatically expanded its control over rare earth exports, a sector crucial to global tech and defense industries.
The October 10 announcement from the Ministry of Commerce adds five new elements — holmium, erbium, thulium, europium and ytterbium — along with key refining technologies to its export control list.
The new rules carry a global reach: any foreign company producing rare earth materials or magnets using Chinese-origin equipment or technology must now obtain an export license from Beijing.
Crucially, applications for defense-related or advanced semiconductor projects, including cutting-edge AI with military potential, will face intense scrutiny and are likely to be denied.
Securities Disclosure: I, Gabrielle de la Cruz, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
IAMGOLD (TSX:IMG,NYSE:IAG) is tightening its grip on one of Québec’s most promising gold districts with back-to-back acquisitions aimed at consolidating control over a vast stretch of the Chibougamau region.
In the span of two days, the mid-tier gold producer announced definitive agreements to acquire Northern Superior Resources (TSXV:SUP,OTCQB:NSUPF) and Mines d’Or Orbec (TSXV:BLUE).
Collectively the deals will expand its landholding to more than 100,000 hectares.
The larger of the two transactions will see IAMGOLD acquire all issued and outstanding shares of Northern Superior Resources in a cash-and-stock deal valued at approximately C$267.4 million.
The acquisition will fold Northern Superior’s Philibert, Chevrier and Croteau projects into IAMGOLD’s existing Nelligan and Monster Lake holdings, creating what the company has branded the Nelligan Mining Complex.
Together, these properties host estimated measured and indicated mineral resources of 3.75 million ounces of gold and inferred resources of 8.65 million ounces, positioning the district as Canada’s fourth largest pre-production gold camp.
“The addition of Northern Superior’s assets to IAMGOLD’s Nelligan Mining Complex in the Chibougamau region of Québec is extremely exciting for IAMGOLD, the region and our mutual shareholders,” said Renaud Adams, IAMGOLD’s president and CEO. “This acquisition aligns with our strategy to become a leading Canadian-focused mid-tier gold producer, bolstering our organic pipeline in Québec where we have maintained a longstanding presence.”
A day earlier, IAMGOLD struck a deal to acquire Mines d’Or Orbec, a junior explorer advancing the Muus project southwest of Chibougamau. IAMGOLD already holds a 6.7 percent equity interest in Orbec and expects to issue roughly 369,000 new shares to complete the purchase. The transaction will bring Muus under IAMGOLD’s control.
Located at the intersection of the Fancamp and Guercheville deformation zones, which are two major mineralized corridors that also host IAMGOLD’s Monster Lake and Nelligan deposits, the 24,979 hectare Muus project has been viewed as a geological link between the company’s existing holdings.
“Over the past several years, we have advanced the Muus project into one of Québec’s most promising gold exploration plays,” Orbec CEO John Tait said.
With the addition of both Northern Superior and Orbec, IAMGOLD is set to more than double its regional footprint.
The company has signaled its intent to pursue a “hub-and-spoke” development strategy in the region, envisioning a central processing facility fed by multiple ore sources within a 17 kilometre radius.
Pending regulatory and shareholder approvals, both acquisitions are expected to close in late 2025 or early 2026.
The price of gold has surged to unprecedented levels this month, reaching an all-time high of around US$4,370 per ounce amid heightened safe-haven demand and expectations of US interest-rate cuts.
However, on Tuesday (October 21), a correction began to set in as the yellow metal pulled back sharply. It fell as much as 5.5 percent to about US$4,115 as profit taking kicked in and the US dollar strengthened.
Securities Disclosure: I, Giann Liguid, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
Pinnacle Silver and Gold presents a compelling investment opportunity in the precious metals sector as it continues to advance its flagship high-grade El Potrero project in Mexico and its Red Lake, Ontario assets. The company’s proven business model focuses on rapidly reactivating past-producing mines to generate early cash flow, while simultaneously exploring for district-scale potential, offering a strong value proposition in a bullish gold-silver environment.
Focused on silver and gold projects in the Americas, Pinnacle is strategically placed to capitalize on the growing demand for these valuable resources. Its core projects include the high-grade El Potrero gold-silver project in Mexico, and the Argosy gold mine and North Birch gold project in Ontario’s Red Lake District – each offering near-term development potential and strong exploration upside.
Pinnacle’s current flagship project, El Potrero, is located within the Sierra Madre Gold Silver Trend.
The company’s investment appeal stems from several key factors:
The company’s business strategy involves the acquisition of past-producing mines that can be put back into production quickly to generate cash flow. By focusing on high-grade, underground mines, Pinnacle can leverage low capex, a smaller operational footprint, easier and faster permitting process and protection against metal price volatility. At the same time, the company conducts brownfield exploration for resource expansion, increasing its potential for district-scale discovery.
Pinnacle’s emphasis on creating shareholder value is evident in its approach to project selection and development. The company’s portfolio is carefully curated to balance near-term production potential with long-term growth prospects, offering investors exposure to both immediate returns and future upside.
El Potrero is a high-grade, past-producing gold-silver project located in the prolific Sierra Madre Belt in Mexico, within 35 km of four operating mines, including Fresnillo’s 4,000 tpd Ciénega Mine. The project comprises two concession blocks totaling 1,074 hectares, which include the historic mines and a 100 tpd on-site processing plant.
Recent Developments (as of July 2025):
Pinnacle can earn an initial 50 percent interest upon production and increase its ownership of El Potrero to 100 percent subject to a 2 percent NSR, primarily through cash flow-funded payments, offering a low-dilution path to full ownership.
Located within the Birch-Uchi Greenstone Belt in Ontario’s Red Lake District, and approximately 10 km from First Mining’s Springpole deposit, the Argosy gold mine produced 101,875 ounces at 12.7 g/t gold from 1931 to 1952. Pinnacle owns 100 percent of the project, subject to a 2.5 percent NSR.
Exploration Highlights:
Located 4 km from the Argosy Mine, North Birch is a 3,850-hectare grassroots project with major upside. The property lies in an underexplored section of the Birch-Uchi Belt and covers a folded and sheared iron formation, interpreted as analogous to Newmont’s Musselwhite Mine.
Exploration Work:
Robert Archer has more than 40 years’ experience in the mining industry, working throughout the Americas. After spending more than 15 years with major mining companies, Archer held several senior management positions in the junior mining sector and co-founded Great Panther Mining, a mid-tier precious metals producer, where he served as president and CEO from 2004 to 2017 and director until 2020. He joined Pinnacle as a director in March 2018 followed by his appointment as CEO in January 2019 and president in October 2021. Archer is a professional geologist and holds an Honours BSc from Laurentian University in Sudbury, Ontario.
David Cross is a CPA and CGA with over 21 years’ experience in the junior sector with a focus on finance and corporate governance. He is currently a partner of Cross Davis and Company LLP Chartered Professional Accountant, which specializes in accounting and management services for private and publicly listed companies within the mining industry, and has recently been appointed CFO of Ashburton Ventures.
Colin Jones is principal consultant for Orimco Resource Investment Advisors in Perth, Australia. He has almost 40 years’ experience as a mining, exploration and consulting geologist in a number of different geological environments on all continents. He has managed large exploration and due diligence projects, and has undertaken numerous bankable technical audits, technical valuations, independent expert reports and due diligence studies worldwide, most of which were on behalf of major international resource financing institutions and banks. Jones holds a Bachelor of Science (Earth Sciences) degree from Massey University, NZ.
David Salari has worldwide experience in the design, construction and operation of extractive metallurgical plants. He is an engineer with more than 35 years of experience in the mining and mineral processing field. He is currently the president and CEO of DENM Engineering.
Ron Schmitz is the principal and president of ASI Accounting Services, providing administrative, accounting and office services to public and private companies since July 1995. Schmitz has served as a director and/or chief financial officer of various public companies since 1997, and currently holds these positions with various public and private companies.
Carlos Castro Villalobos holds a degree in Mining Engineering and Mineral Processing (Ingeniero de Minas y Plantas de Beneficio) from the University of Guanajuato and brings over 45 years of experience in the mining industry. He has held senior roles with companies such as Peñoles, Luismin, Great Panther, and First Majestic, ranging from mine superintendent to general manager across multiple operations. Notably, while with Rochester Resources, he oversaw the construction of a 300-tonne-per-day processing plant completed in just seven months—experience that will be particularly valuable at El Potrero.
Jorge Ortega, P.Geo., is a qualified person as defined under National Instrument 43-101 and the author of the NI 43-101 Technical Report for the Potrero Project. He has reviewed and approved the technical information contained in this news release.
Copper prices have seen considerable gains in 2025, reaching a record high on the COMEX of US$5.68 per pound on July 8. Rising prices and supportive policy have elevated many copper stocks.
Copper tariffs were the story surrounding the market to start the third quarter, not only pushing the price for the base metal to record highs but also causing significant volatility.
Ultimately, refined products were exempt from tariffs until 2027 and 2028, a decision that sent the price spiraling and left it to trade on supply and demand fundamentals.
Supply concerns led the price higher following the closure of Freeport-McMoRan’s (NYSE:FCX) Grasberg copper mine late in the quarter, as the market reacted to the loss of production in a strained market.
The mine was closed early in September following an accident that killed seven workers. At the end of the month, Freeport reported revised guidance, stating that significant production is unlikely in 2026, with pre-incident operational levels potentially back online by 2027.
Against that backdrop, how have TSX-listed copper companies performed? Learn about the top five best-performing copper stocks in 2025 by year-to-date gains below.
Data for this article was retrieved on October 15, 2025, using TradingView’s stock screener, and only companies with market capitalizations greater than C$50 million are included.
Year-to-date gain: 602.37 percent
Market cap: C$2.42 billion
Share price: C$11.87
Trilogy Metals is a polymetallic exploration and development company working to advance its Upper Kobuk mineral projects in Northern Alaska, US, which it owns in a 50/50 joint venture with South32 (ASX:S32,OTC Pink:SHTLF).
Its most advanced asset is the Arctic copper, zinc, lead, gold and silver project, which is in the feasibility stage. In an updated feasibility study from February 2023, the company reported annual payable production volumes of 148.68 million pounds of copper, 172.6 million pounds of zinc, 25.75 million pounds of lead, 32,538 ounces of gold and 2.77 million ounces of silver.
After tax, the study pegged the net present value at US$1.11 billion, with an internal rate of return of 22.8 percent and a payback period of 3.1 years.
Trilogy’s other key asset is the Bornite copper-cobalt project located 25 kilometers southwest of its Arctic project. The site hosts widespread mineralization and has seen historic exploration dating back to the 1950s.
A preliminary economic assessment for Bornite, dated January 15, established an after-tax net present value of US$393.9 million, with an internal rate of return of 20 percent and a payback period of 4.4 years. The updated mineral resource included with the report estimates an inferred resource of 6.53 billion pounds of copper with an average grade of 1.42 percent from 208.9 million metric tons of ore.
Trilogy’s Upper Kobuk assets are among the mineral projects dependent on the approval and construction of the Ambler Access Road, a planned 211 kilometer industrial road through Alaska.
Trilogy’s share price saw substantial gains in October after the US Senate repealed a land management plan that prevented the construction of the access road due to environmental concerns, and the current US administration supported its construction.
Additionally, Trilogy reported on October 6 that it had entered into a binding letter of intent that would see the US Department of Defense (DoD) invest US$17.8 million in Trilogy in exchange for 8.22 million Trilogy shares, or 10 percent of the company. The DoD would also hold warrants for an additional 7.5 percent, exercisable only after the road is constructed.
The funds are earmarked for exploration and development of the Upper Kobuk projects.
According to the release, the DoD will work to facilitate financing for the road’s construction and collaborate with Trilogy to expedite mine permitting using the FAST-41 process.
Shares in Trilogy reached a year-to-date high of C$14.70 on October 14.
Year-to-date gain: 393.75 percent
Market cap: C$404.32 million
Share price: C$0.395
St. Augustine Gold and Copper is a development company focused on its King-king copper-gold project in the Philippines’ Davao de Oro province. The project consists of 184 mining claims.
On May 30, St. Augustine entered into an agreement with the National Development Corporation (Nadecor) to acquire a 100 percent interest in Nadecor’s wholly owned subsidiary Kingking Milling, which holds the development rights to King-king.
Under the terms of the deal, Nadecor will receive C$9.02 million convertible into 185 million shares.
The project’s exploration and development permits are held by Kingking Mining, which remains a 40/40/20 joint venture between St. Augustine, Nadecor and Queensberry Mining and Development. The release also includes details of new ore sales and royalty agreements between Kingking Milling and Kingking Mining.
On June 18, St. Augustine completed a debt conversion with Queensberry Mining, converting C$1.67 million in debt owed to Queensbury into 25.31 million common shares in St. Augustine at C$0.066 per share.
A follow-up announcement from Queensberry Mining stated that the shares represent a 2.5 percent stake in St. Augustine, increasing Queensberry’s holdings in the company to 52 percent of the total issued and outstanding shares.
As for Q3, on July 31, the company released an updated feasibility study for the project. Based on a copper price of US$4.30 per pound and a gold price of US$2,150 per ounce, the project’s economics included an after-tax net present value of US$4.18 billion, with an internal rate of return of 34.2 percent and a payback period of 1.9 years.
The report estimates a 31 year mine life with average annual production of 96,411 metric tons of payable copper and 185,828 ounces of gold. The six phase development plan will see higher average production in the first five years at 129,000 metric tons of copper and 330,000 ounces of gold.
St. Augustine’s latest update came on October 8, when it reported that it is advancing the Kingking project to a definitive feasibility study based on the feasibility results. It expects the study to be completed by the fourth quarter of 2026.
Shares in St. Augustine Gold and Copper reached a year-to-date high of C$0.58 on July 28.
Year-to-date gain: 337.65 percent
Market cap: C$2.15 billion
Share price: C$3.72
Northern Dynasty Minerals is an exploration and development company focused on the Pebble project, a copper-molybdenum-gold-silver project located 200 miles southwest of Anchorage in the Bristol Bay region of Alaska.
Pebble, which the company says is “one of the greatest stores of mineral wealth ever discovered,” hosts a measured and indicated copper resource of 6.5 billion metric tons and an inferred copper resource of 4.5 billion metric tons.
The Pebble property’s measured and indicated resources for molybdenum, gold and silver total 1.26 million metric tons, 53.82 million ounces and 249.3 million ounces, respectively.
The project stalled in 2020 during the permitting phase following a US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) veto that suggested the proposed mine would damage the Bristol Bay watershed.
Early in 2024, the Supreme Court declined to hear the matter on procedural grounds, sending it back to the federal district court and the federal circuit of appeals before the Supreme Court would hear it.
Northern Dynasty spent the rest of 2024 advancing its case in Alaska’s state court. In March of that year, it announced the filing of actions to vacate the EPA’s veto.
In 2025, shares of Northern Dynasty began to surge following Trump’s March 20 executive order that called for expedited approvals for domestic mineral production and included copper as a strategically important mineral.
Since Trump became president, Northern Dynasty has been attempting to work with the EPA to vacate the veto on the project. On February 18, the company agreed to grant the EPA a requested 90 day extension to allow for review by the new leadership in the agency, and granted a further 30 day extension on May 14 and a 20 day extension on June 12.
Although the company had hoped to reach a settlement in early July, it ultimately was forced to file a motion for summary judgment on July 17 to have the EPA veto removed.
The most recent update came on October 8, when Northern Dynasty reported that it had filed a brief with the court and presented arguments as to why the veto should be removed. The company’s president and CEO stated in the release that he believes the company has a strong case.
Shares in Northern Dynasty reached a year-to-date high of C$3.89 on October 14.
Year-to-date gain: 251.63 percent
Market cap: C$1.17 billion
Share price: C$6.47
Imperial Metals is a mine development and production company with operations in British Columbia, Canada.
It holds a 30 percent interest in the Red Chris mine in BC’s Golden Triangle, with the remainder owned by Newmont (TSX:NGT,NYSE:NEM,ASX:NEM). Imperial also fully owns the Mount Polley copper-gold mine, which reopened in June 2022, and the Huckleberry copper mine, which has been under care and maintenance since 2016.
Provincial approvals of a 4 meter raise of the embankment at its Mount Polley tailings storage facility has been the subject of an ongoing lawsuit this year after the Xatśūll First Nation applied for an interim injunction challenging them in April.
A June 30 update reported that the BC Supreme Court reserved judgment on the case following a four-day hearing.
The Supreme Court ultimately dismissed the Xatśūll First Nation’s application for the injunction and judicial review of the approvals on August 6.
Imperials’ most recent update on the case came on September 3, when the Xatśūll First Nation filed a notice of appeal to overturn the dismissal of the judicial reviews. However, they did not appeal the injunction decision, meaning the company can complete the raise and continue mining at Mount Polley.
In an exploration update at the mine on August 12, Imperial reported the discovery of copper mineralization in a 400 meter blind target step-out hole located 4 kilometers from the mill site. The hole showed significant visual native copper, with one intercept returning 0.7 percent copper over 7 meters and another returning a grade of 0.25 percent copper over 20 meters.
The company stated that the results were significant because the hole is 390 meters away from the nearest known mineralized zone and the hole is unique in the prominence of native copper, raising the possibility of other similar-style mineralization in the area.
On August 29, Imperial announced that it received approval for a permit amendment allowing the company to expand Mount Polley’s operations and extend its operating life, including pit development and expansion of storage areas within the existing mine site footprint.
Shares in Imperial reached a year-to-date high of C$6.75 on October 2.
Year-to-date gain: 244 percent
Market cap: C$524.54 billion
Share price: C$1.29
Meridian Mining is an exploration and development company developing its flagship Cabaçal copper-gold project in Mato Grosso, Brazil. The project license covers a 50 square kilometer area and hosts an 11 kilometer volcanogenic massive sulfide corridor containing gold, copper and silver.
A prefeasibility study released March 10 demonstrates a post-tax base case net present value of US$984 million with an internal rate of return of 61 percent and a payback period of 17 months. The project has a predicted mine life of 10.6 years with total life of mine production of 169,647 metric tons of copper.
The included mineral resource estimate for Cabaçal shows a measured and indicated resource of 204,470 metric tons of contained copper from 51.43 million metric tons of ore with an average grade of 0.4 percent. It also hosts significant gold and silver resources.
Additionally, Meridian reported on May 8 that it has hired Ausenco Brazil as the lead engineer to complete a definitive feasibility study for Cabaçal, targeting the first half of 2026 for completion.
Meridian has been carrying out an extensive exploration program at the site as part of the study.
The company announced results from the final phase of the drill program on October 7, when it reported significant copper grades. It highlighted an interval of 1.4 percent copper equivalent over 27.5 meters, including an intersection of 6.1 percent copper equivalent over 6.4 meters.
The company stated that the drill program yielded robust grades of gold, copper and silver mineralization, which will contribute to the mineral resource and reserve upgrades included in the definitive feasibility study. It also reported exploration success at the Cigarra target.
Shares in Meridian reached a year-to-date high of C$1.30 on October 16.
Many experts have a positive long-term outlook for the red metal based on supply concerns and its growing role in the energy transition. Copper’s price has climbed to new all time highs in 2025, bringing many stocks with it.
Investors who are interested in copper should make sure to perform their due diligence, as the volatility and unpredictability of markets and economies at the moment means that nothing is guaranteed.
Copper is used in many industries, from construction to electronics to medical equipment. In fact, in 2022, 32 percent of copper globally was used in equipment manufacturing and 26 percent in building construction.
Two other growing sectors for copper are the burgeoning electric vehicle and green energy industries. Electric vehicles require a significant amount of the red metal per vehicle.
Check out our article on the topic for more copper uses.
Investors can invest in copper in a variety of ways. Holding physical copper is possible, but plenty of storage would be required to hold any significant value of the metal.
For investors looking to invest in the metal without physically holding it, there are a few options. Copper stocks such as those on the TSX, TSXV and ASX are worth looking at. Additionally, there are copper exchange-traded funds and the copper options and futures markets on the London Metal Exchange.
Copper exchange-traded funds (ETFs) focused on mining companies can be a good way to diversify an investment portfolio, and they can be a more stable option compared to individual copper miners or explorers. There are multiple options available on the market, and they can usually be purchased in the same way one could purchase stocks through a broker or trading platform.
In May 2022, Horizons launched Canada’s first copper equities ETF, the Horizons Copper Producers Index ETF (TSX:COPP). This Canadian copper ETF is focused solely on pure-play and diversified copper-mining companies.
There are multiple ETFs available on the US ARCA exchange as well. The Global X Copper Miners ETF (ARCA:COPX) tracks the Solactive Global Copper Miners Index, which includes copper miners, as well as copper explorers and developers. The other option is the United States Copper Index Fund (ARCA:CPER), which gives investors exposure to copper futures contracts by tracking the SummerHaven Copper Index Total Return.
The copper price is tracked in two ways: COMEX copper and London Metal Exchange (LME) copper. The COMEX and LME are both options and futures metal exchanges, with the former being headquartered in New York and the latter in London. COMEX copper is priced by the pound, while LME copper is priced per metric ton.
Once copper is mined, the ore goes through multiple steps to reach a market-ready state. First, the ore is ground to roughly separate the rock from the copper, as copper typically only makes up 1 percent of the mined rock.
The resultant copper is then slurried with water and chemical reagents, after which air is used to float the copper to the top of the mixture. After the copper is removed from this, it is typically at 24 to 40 percent purity.
Copper is mined throughout the world, with significant production found on every continent besides Antarctica. Chile was the top producer in 2024, putting out 5.3 million metric tons of the metal. Other major top copper producers are the Democratic Republic of Congo with 3.3 million metric tons, Peru with 2.6 million metric tons and China with 1.8 million metric tons. Indonesia and the US were tied in 2024 at 1.1 million metric tons of copper.
Article by Dean Belder; FAQs by Lauren Kelly.
Securities Disclosure: I, Dean Belder, own shares of Northern Dynasty Minerals.
Jupiter Energy (JPR:AU) has announced Sep25 Appendix 5B
Download the PDF here.
Alice Queen (AQX:AU) has announced Placement and Bonus Loyalty Options
Download the PDF here.
American Uranium (AMU:AU) has announced Drilling Commences at Lo Herma ISR Uranium Project
Download the PDF here.
C29 Metals (C29:AU) has announced C29 Metals to drill Sampsons Tank Copper Project
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Brightstar Resources (BTR:AU) has announced Extensional RC drilling commenced at Lord Byron
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