Market Survey on Copper - Indian Bureau of Mines

Table: 5.3 - London Metal Exchange Prices of Copper, 1991 to 2010
(In $ per tonne)
Sl. No. Year Highest Lowest Yearly Average
1. 1991 1500.00 1149.00 1325.11
2. 1992 1506.00 1111.00 1297.09
3. 1993 2009.00 1101.50 1578.15
4. 1994 3088.00 1720.00 2312.73
5. 1995 3235.00 2716.00 2936.52
6. 1996 2841.00 1830.00 2290.46
7. 1997 2720.00 1699.00 2275.70
8. 1998 1880.00 1438.00 1652.88
9. 1999 1846.00 1354.00 1573.66
10. 2000 2009.00 1607.00 1814.26
11. 2001 1837.00 1319.00 1577.77
12. 2002 1689.00 1421.00 1557.50
13. 2003 2321.00 1544.50 1779.67
14. 2004 3287.00 2337.00 2868.34
15. 2005 4650.00 3072.00 3683.64
16. 2006 8788.00 4537.00 6730.60
17. 2007 8301.00 5225.50 7126.35
18. 2008 8985.00 2770.00 6955.88
19. 2009 7346.00 3050.50 5149.74
20. 2010 N.A. N.A. 7539.32
It will be seen from the table above that the yearly average prices of copper
which were at a level of $ 1325 in 1991 increased to $ 2275 in 1997. Again in the year
2004, there was a sharp rise in LME prices of copper and touched a level of at $ 2868
from a level of $ 1779 in 2003. Since then, every year there was a sharp increase in
prices till the year 2010. Prices of copper reached upto $ 7539, in 2010.
It will be seen from the Annexure 5-III that there is no regular pattern in the
price rise in a particular month. However it will be noted that the escalation in prices
of the copper was noticed from October 2003 onwards and the escalation of prices
reached up to $ 9147 in December 2010.
The average monthly settlement LME prices of copper for the years 2001 to
2010 are presented in Annexure 5-III and also depicted in Figure 5.1 and the
comparative prices during 2007 to 2010 is depicted in Figure – 5.2.
90