

U.S. Copper Stockpiling Is Squeezing China | Christopher Ecclestone
Copper dominated LME Week 2026 as U.S. stockpiling efforts intensified competition for global supply. Christopher Ecclestone, Principal and Mining Strategist at Hallgarten + Company, argues that Washington's strategic metals push is redirecting copper flows and putting pressure on China's inventory position. Speaking with Kitco Mining's Paul Harris on Digging Deep, recorded October 22, 2026, Ecclestone examines Mercuria's delivery of 12,000 tonnes of copper into the U.S. Project Vault stockpile. “copper's the thing that everybody needs,” he said, arguing that its widespread industrial importance makes it a more consequential geopolitical chokepoint than rare earths. He also discusses CME Group's planned tungsten futures contract and efforts to improve price transparency. In Argentina, Ecclestone warns that some mining companies benefiting from President Javier Milei's RIGI incentives risk undermining local suppliers by importing basic construction materials from China. “there is no trickle,” he said, questioning whether these investments are delivering wider economic benefits and warning of potential political backlash. Ecclestone also examines Arizona's copper revival, including Hudbay and Mitsubishi's approval of Copper World, targeting first production in the second half of 2029, and Faraday Copper's San Manuel acquisition. He discusses risks surrounding tokenized gold and the challenges facing mining investment in Peru and Chile. Today’s show is brought to you by Kalshi. Trade the first CFTC-regulated gold and silver perpetuals in the U.S., 24/7, with no expiration date. https://kalshi.com/p/KT2026 Availability varies by jurisdiction. Not available in Canada. Don’t forget to subscribe to the Kitco Mining & Kitco News YouTube channels to stay up to date on the latest industry news and interviews. 00:30 - LME Week 2026: Copper Dominates the Conversation 02:18 - U.S. Copper Stockpiling Puts Pressure on China 03:37 - Project Vault and the Global Copper Supply Squeeze 06:45 - Copper vs. Rare Earths: Which Is More Critical? 08:45 - CME Tungsten Futures and Market Transparency 11:38 - Argentina's RIGI Incentives and Chinese Imports 22:20 - Tokenized Gold, ETFs and Investor Trust 27:05 - Arizona Copper Revival: Hudbay, Faraday and Ivanhoe 35:25 - Peru and Chile's Mining Investment Challenges __________________________________________________________________ Kitco Mining is dedicated to reporting on the mining industry. Our mandate is to be the top resource for all mining information and news, offering a clear perspective on where the industry is going through breaking news coverage, mining trends, and in-depth reporting, presented with precious, rare earth, base metals, and industry stock prices. Get important precious and base metal updates while on the go with the Kitco Gold LIVE! app - https://applications.kitco.com Stay connected with us X - https://x.com/KitcoMining Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/kitcomining LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/kitco-mining Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/KitcoMining Connect with the Kitco Mining anchors Paul Harris - https://x.com/paulharrisgold For more in-depth mining coverage, visit us here - https://www.kitco.com/mining Disclaimer: Videos are not trading advice, and the views expressed may not reflect those of Kitco Metals Inc. Disclaimer: The views expressed in this podcast are those of the author and may not reflect those of Kitco Metals Inc. The author has made every effort to ensure accuracy of information provided; however, neither Kitco Metals Inc. nor the author can guarantee such accuracy. This article is strictly for informational purposes only. It is not a solicitation to make any exchange in commodities, securities or other financial instruments. Kitco Metals Inc. and the author of this podcast do not accept culpability for losses and/ or damages arising from the use of this publication.
- Transcript


















