Taseko maintains production through pandemic

While gold miners have been stealing the pandemic limelight as that precious metal’s price has soared, copper miners have struggled with the collapse of their main markets, like China, and the closure of major production mines in places like Chile and Peru. By March 22, the base metal was trading at US$2.07 per lb., a full 80¢ off its peak in mid-January, and the lowest valuation since February 2016. Yet some copper miners have not only weathered the crises created by Covid-19, they have used the slowdown to bolster their business plans in anticipation of renewed global economic growth. Vancouver-based Taseko Mines (TSX: TKO; NYSE-AM: TGB) is one of these. For president Stuart McDonald and the Taseko management team, the last few months have been busy, not only because they have maintained production at their key copper mine. They have also been making preparations to potentially bring a second site online later this year, while also advancing the early stages of development at a third project.