John Meyer, an analyst at SP Angel, said, “Copper prices need to rise further to encourage miners to ramp up new production.Many existing mines have been operating at or well beyond their initial design capacity for years, increasing the risk of catastrophic accidents.” Although Venezuela is not known for producing refined copper, the U.S. imposition of interim control over Venezuela under the Donald Trump also highlights the risks facing the overall security of critical mineral supplies.Duncan Hobbs, Research Director at Concord Resources, stated: “The rise in metal prices, including copper, stems from concerns about the security of critical mineral resources and supply chains in the new world order. These concerns have become even more apparent in the recent events in Venezuela.”