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Copper’s rising importance: U.S. Gold Mining’s Whistler Project and its role in domestic resource security – CEO Tim Smith

By Jeremy Szafron

Published:

Dec 04, 2024 - 7:53 PM

Updated:

Dec 04, 2024 - 8:01 PM

Kitco News
The Leading News Source in Precious Metals

Kitco NEWS has a diverse team of journalists reporting on the economy, stock markets, commodities, cryptocurrencies, mining and metals with accuracy and objectivity. Our goal is to help people make informed market decisions through in-depth reporting, daily market roundups, interviews with prominent industry figures, comprehensive coverage (often exclusive) of important industry events and analyses of market-affecting developments.

Copper’s rising importance: U.S. Gold Mining’s Whistler Project and its role in domestic resource security – CEO Tim Smith teaser image

(Kitco News) - Copper plays a critical role in the energy transition, said Tim Smith, CEO of U.S. Gold Mining, adding that the company’s Whistler Project in Alaska is a vital asset in meeting growing demand.

With the U.S. Department of Energy recently elevating copper to critical metal status, Smith highlighted the strategic potential of Whistler’s substantial copper reserves as part of its 6.5 million gold-equivalent ounces in indicated resources.

“Copper comprises about 30% of the project’s value, making it a significant copper deposit in its own right,” Smith told Kitco News anchor Jeremy Szafron on the sidelines of the New Orleans Investment Conference. “This recognition of copper’s critical importance is opening doors for stakeholder engagement, social license, and government support. Alaska has a wealth of copper, and projects like Whistler are ideally positioned to contribute to domestic resiliency and resource security.”

Smith pointed to the broader market dynamics driving copper’s importance. “The energy transition is fueling strong support for copper prices over the longer term. It’s not just about electric vehicles but about the entire electrification movement, from grid infrastructure to charging stations. That demand story is not going away,” he explained.

With U.S. copper demand set to rise sharply in the coming years, Whistler’s proximity to key infrastructure, including potential federal investment in the West Susitna Access Road, adds to its appeal. “Federal funding for road development to connect Whistler to Anchorage is already in place for the first 25 miles, and there’s significant optimism for further progress under the current political landscape,” Smith added.

As copper demand outpaces supply globally, Smith emphasized the importance of domestic projects like Whistler. “The U.S. cannot rely solely on imports for critical metals like copper,” he said. “Whistler’s strategic location and resource size put us in a strong position to support the country’s growing copper needs, while also being an attractive asset for partnerships or acquisition by major producers looking to replenish their reserves.”

For more on U.S. Gold Mining’s Whistler Project, its role in the energy transition, and the outlook for copper, watch the full interview.

This video is brought to you by Uranium Energy Corp and U.S. GoldMining Inc.

Jeremy Szafron

Jeremy Szafron joins Kitco News as an anchor and producer from Kitco’s Vancouver bureau.
Jeremy is a seasoned journalist with a diverse background covering entertainment, current affairs and finance.

Jeremy began his career in 2006 as a Journalist at CTV (Canada’s largest network), initially engaging audiences as an entertainment reporter before pivoting to business reporting focusing on mining and small-caps. His macro-financial and market trends analysis made him a sought-after commentator on CTV Morning Live and a regular on CTV News Network.

A notable milestone in Jeremy's career was his 2010 Vancouver Olympic Games coverage, highlighting the Olympic community and hosting segments from various Country Houses at the games. Building on this experience, Jeremy developed an online video news program for PressReader, launching them into a new direction. PressReader is a digital newsstand with 8,000 newspaper and magazine editions in 60 languages from more than 120 countries.

In 2012, Jeremy ventured into his own digital media project, creating The Green Scene Podcast, swiftly gaining over 400,000 subscribers and establishing himself as a key voice in the emerging cannabis industry. Following this success, he launched Investor Scene and Initiate Research, news platforms providing exclusive market insights and deal-flow opportunities in mining and Canadian small-caps.

Jeremy has also worked as a market strategist and investor relations consultant with various publicly traded companies in the mining, energy, CPG, and tech industries.

A graduate of Concordia University with a BA in Journalism, Jeremy's academic background laid the foundation for his diverse and dynamic career. Now, as an Anchor at Kitco News, Jeremy will continue to inform a global audience of the latest developments and critical themes in finance and commodities.

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Gold Mining Copper Uranium Energy Corp U.S. GoldMining Inc.New Orleans Investment Conference Tim Smith

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Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article 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 article do not accept culpability for losses and/ or damages arising from the use of this publication.

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Copper’s rising importance: U.S. Gold Mining’s Whistler Project and its role in domestic resource security – CEO Tim Smith

By Jeremy Szafron

Kitco News
The Leading News Source in Precious Metals

Jeremy Szafron

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base-metals

Copper’s rising importance: U.S. Gold Mining’s Whistler Project and its role in domestic resource security – CEO Tim Smith

By Jeremy Szafron

Kitco NewsThe Leading News Source in Precious Metals

Jeremy Szafron

Tags:

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Kitco News
The Leading News Source in Precious Metals