Copper prices to keep rising as demand grows and global production is hit by disruption

A global shortage of copper is looming, and not enough new supply is being brought into the market to support demand, according to analysts.

Copper is essential to a wide range of industries — from electrical wiring and batteries, in wind turbines, circuits, construction and medical applications — with the metal highly favoured for its conductivity and thermal attributes.

But this year, a series of major supply disruptions have led many analysts to warn the industry is producing less copper than it is consuming, and prices have increased accordingly.

Earlier this year, flooding at Ivanhoe Mines' Kamoa-Kakula mine in the Democratic Republic of Congo, an accident at Codelco's El Teniente mine in Chile and protests at Hudbay's Constancia mine in Peru were among major disruptions to globa