Low copper process may stay for the next few years, research professor at the Colorado School of Mines, Mr John Tilton, told  Amenian News - NEWS.am.

Prices of copper, like those of many other mineral commodities, are highly cyclical, in the sense that they tend to follow the curve of the economic performance.

When prices are high, there is a tendency for producers and others to be overly optimistic about future prices, and vice versa.

“Still, given the new capacity coming on stream and the sluggish global economy--not just the result of the slowdown in China's growth but also the result of little or no growth in Europe, Japan, Brazil, Russia, and other developing countries--low copper prices may well persist for the next several years”, the expert concluded..

3-month copper futures at the London Metal Exchange are trading for around $4 810 per ton, while in July 2015 they were worth around $5 450 (price has declined by circa 12%).

To remind, copper has always been a staple export commodity for Armenia. According to the data of the State revenue committee, copper concentrate has remained the top exports item (concentrate mills have increased output to combat price decline). Hence, in 2014 exports totaled around $235,9 mln, and in 2015  $316,6 mln (in physical terms exports have risen from 185 to 309 thousand tons).

The 8th largest item has been blister copper (half-finished product for pure copper). In physical terms its exports in 2014-15 have increased from 9,9 to 11,7 thousand tons. But, because prices have gone slack, exports in monetary terms have decreased from $71,8 to $65,5 mln.