Future

According to the analysis company Raw Materials Group, RMG, the coming decade looks promising, with a strong demand for metals as the developing economies continue to grow. The basic need for metals needed to raise the economies of the developing countries and their infrastructure, and the demand for metal intense products for communication, schools, medical care and accommodations still remain, regardless of financial crises. In these countries, however, it becomes more difficult and costly to find new mineral deposits, for several reasons:

  • The deposits are more inaccessibly located, in more extreme climate zones.
  • The mineral content of the deposits is lower and the deposits are located at larger depths.
  • The deposits are more complex and extraction will be more difficult.
  • It takes longer and longer time to receive all necessary permits.

To summarize, it is expected that there will be a shortage of metals on the market for several years. This will keep the metal prices at a high level. Certainly, the demand may decrease by users trying to find alternative materials, but the total demand is so great that this should not make a big difference. Uncertainty for the future is a reason for host countries to increase the tax incomes from the mining industry. It seems likely that this will happen and that would further help to raise the prices.