Problems at Teck Resources Mines Drive Up Copper Prices

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Written by Amir Richani for Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--Teck Resources (Vancouver, British Columbia) cut its copper guidance for this year from 470,000-525,000 tons to 415,000-465,000 tons following the company's operational review. The report sheds light on operational problems at Chile's Quebrada Blanca mine and Canada's Highland Valley Copper asset. The news has rallied copper prices.

At Quebrada Blanca, the company is facing issues with the development of the tailing management facility (TMF), which requires more downtime in the concentrator to manage the rate of tailings rise. To tackle the issue, the company will raise the crest height of a dam with the construction of a sand wedge using hydraulically placed sand. Subscribers to Industrial Info's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) Metals & Minerals Plant Database can click here for the Quebrada Blanca profile.

During the third quarter, the company began work to improve sand drainage by testing the removal of ultra-fines and using refining of sand replacement techniques.

The mine's production guidance for this and next year has been reduced. For 2025, Teck said it expects to produce between 170,000 tons and 190,000 tons of copper from the Chilean operation, compared to the initial guideline of between 210,000 tons and 230,000 tons.

With TMF work extending into 2026, next year's copper output guidance is now 200,000-235,000 tons, versus the earlier guidance of 280,000-310,000 tons. From 2027, the TMF is expected to operate normally.

Meanwhile, the Highland Valley Copper facility faced lower grades and reduced mill operational time due to unplanned maintenance. This has reduced the mine's guidance for the year, with a new target of 120,000 tons to 130,000 tons, down from the earlier guidance of 135,000 tons to 150,000 tons. Subscribers can click here for the Highland Valley Copper plant profile.

The report from Teck caused the price of copper to rally amid supply concerns, with copper surpassing the US$5 per-pound mark. In August, Cochilco, the Chilean mining authority, maintained its copper price forecast at US$4.30 per pound for this and next year.

Cochilco projected a 2025 global copper oversupply of 51,000 metric tons and of 65,000 metric tons for 2026.

With Teck's new updates and Codelco's El Teniente accident in July, which shut the mine for several days and impacted the mine's production by roughly 33,000 tons, Cochilco's market analysis could change. Subscribers can click here for the El Teniente mine profile.

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