Geomechanics.io

  • Free Tools
Sign UpLog In

Geomechanics.io

Geomechanics, Streamlined.

© 2026 Geomechanics.io. All rights reserved.

Geomechanics.io

CMRR-ioGEODB-ioHYDROGEO-ioQCDB-ioFree Tools & CalculatorsBlogLatest Industry News

Industries

MiningConstructionTunnelling

Company

Terms of UsePrivacy PolicyLinkedIn
    Projects

    Fitch 2026 mineral and metal price outlook: planning notes for mine projects

    January 6, 2026|

    Reviewed by Tom Sullivan

    Fitch 2026 mineral and metal price outlook: planning notes for mine projects

    First reported on MINING.com

    30 Second Briefing

    Most mineral and metal prices are forecast by BMI, a Fitch Solutions unit, to average higher in 2026 than in 2025 as trade frictions ease and demand from net-zero sectors supports copper, aluminium, lithium, nickel and rare earths despite continued weakness in Mainland China’s property market. A key risk is potential US tariffs on refined copper, with the Commerce Secretary due to report by 30 June 2026 on a possible universal duty of 15% from 2027 and 30% from 2028. Gold is expected to stay below about $4,000/oz by late 2026 as the Fed’s rate‑cutting cycle pauses and a relatively stable US dollar index around 95–100 caps further upside.

    Technical Brief

    • Proposed universal US duty on refined copper is 15% from 2027, rising to 30% from 2028.
    • Tariff uncertainty peaked in August 2025, with BMI expecting a gradual decline in 2026.
    • BMI flags potential renewed US tariff flare‑ups targeting specific metals to protect critical industries.

    Our Take

    The proposed universal 15–30% duty on refined copper from 2027–2028 would structurally favour new smelter and refining investments in the USA and Canada over Mainland China, and could make offtake terms from Latin American copper projects more complex as traders re‑route material to avoid US tariffs.

    In our database of 480 Mining stories, BMI and Fitch Solutions appear mainly in price‑forecast and macro‑risk pieces rather than project finance, so these 2026–2028 calls on copper, lithium and rare earths are more likely to influence offtake pricing assumptions and hurdle rates than to signal specific project‑level commitments.

    Linked with BMI’s earlier tin forecast upgrade to 2026, this cross‑commodity bullishness on critical minerals and industrial metals suggests project developers in Africa and Latin America may find it easier to secure offtake‑backed funding, but also face tighter construction and equipment markets if prices track these expectations.

    Geotechnical Software for Modern Teams

    Centralise site data, logs, and lab results with GEODB-io, CMRR-io, and HYDROGEO-io.

    No credit card required.

    • Save and export unlimited calculations
    • Advanced data visualisation
    • Generate professional PDF reports
    • Cloud storage for all your projects

    Prepared by collating external sources, AI-assisted tools, and Geomechanics.io’s proprietary mining database, then reviewed for technical accuracy & edited by our geotechnical team.

    Related Articles

    Iltani’s Orient silver–indium project: 2025 drilling and mine design takeaways
    Mining
    about 5 hours ago

    Iltani’s Orient silver–indium project: 2025 drilling and mine design takeaways

    Iltani Resources’ Orient project in North Queensland, billed as one of Australia’s largest silver–indium developments, has reported standout 2025 drilling results that support a potential resource expansion. The polymetallic system targets silver, indium, zinc and lead, with recent intercepts extending known mineralisation along strike and at depth beyond the current drilling grid. Iltani is now planning follow-up step-out drilling and updated resource modelling, which could materially influence mine design, metallurgical testwork priorities and long-term development options for the Orient tenements.

    Silica, gold and rare earths exploration: pit design and schedule notes for planners
    Mining
    about 5 hours ago

    Silica, gold and rare earths exploration: pit design and schedule notes for planners

    Australian explorers are advancing silica sand, gold and rare earths projects, with silica gaining attention as a feedstock for solar glass and high‑purity industrial applications. Activity is concentrating in Western Australia and Queensland, where juniors are drilling shallow, laterally extensive sand deposits and following up high‑grade gold intercepts near existing processing hubs. For geotechs and mine planners, the focus on near‑surface, free‑digging sand bodies and brownfield gold step‑outs points to relatively low strip ratios, simpler pit designs and faster development timelines than deeper hard‑rock projects.

    Clarks Gully standout intercept: underground design notes for Hillgrove teams
    Mining
    about 6 hours ago

    Clarks Gully standout intercept: underground design notes for Hillgrove teams

    Recent diamond drilling at Larvotto Resources’ Clarks Gully prospect within the Hillgrove gold–antimony project in New South Wales has returned a “standout intercept”, strengthening the case for higher-grade underground mineralisation. The work forms part of a targeted diamond programme testing extensions of known lodes beneath historical workings at Hillgrove, a past producer with multiple steeply dipping, narrow-vein structures. For geotechnical and mine planning teams, the results point to continued focus on underground access, ground support in vein-hosted systems, and potential sequencing of gold–antimony stopes.

    Related Industries & Products

    Mining

    Geotechnical software solutions for mining operations including CMRR analysis, hydrogeological testing, and data management.

    Construction

    Quality control software for construction companies with material testing, batch tracking, and compliance management.

    CMRR-io

    Streamline coal mine roof stability assessments with our cloud-based CMRR software featuring automated calculations, multi-scenario analysis, and collaborative workflows.

    HYDROGEO-io

    Comprehensive hydrogeological testing platform for managing, analysing, and reporting on packer tests, lugeon values, and hydraulic conductivity assessments.

    GEODB-io

    Centralised geotechnical data management solution for storing, accessing, and analysing all your site investigation and material testing data.

    AllGeotechnicalMiningInfrastructureMaterialsHazardsEnvironmentalSoftwarePolicy