We know what’s coming and we are prepared.
🌍 The cost of leaching copper oxide ore in the Central African Copperbelt is about to get even more expensive.
In the past few days a number of Middle Eastern Oil refineries have been attacked / closed. In addition, exports through the Strait of Hormuz have ground to a halt.
What has this got to do with leaching copper in one of the world’s largest copper belts ? Sulphur, or more specifically sulphuric acid.
Approximately, 50% of seaborne sulphur is shipped through the Strait of Hormuz.
90% of sulphur imported into Africa is from the Middle East… and therefore passes through the Strait of Hormuz
The central African Copperbelt imports around 2 million tonnes of this sulphur per annum. The sulphur is used in local sulphur burners to convert into sulphuric acid, which is used by mining companies for leaching copper out of copper oxide ores. One part of sulphur makes 3 parts of liquid high-strength sulphuric acid. Therefore, 2.0 million tonnes of sulphur produces approximately 6.0 million tonnes of sulphuric acid.
The price of high-strength sulphuric in Kolwezi, on the western edge of the DRC Copperbelt, has been trading near all-time highs of $700-$800/tonne for the past 4-5 months, due to regional export restrictions, higher copper prices, as well as an already tight global sulphur market. This price will rise further.
I have heard that traders are already struggling to source any. Sulphuric acid prices will therefore significantly increase across Africa… and if the disruption lasts longer than ~3 weeks, copper oxide operations will have to close as they’ve run out of acid.
Oxide copper is the dominant ore source of copper produced in DRC… and the DRC is the world’s 2nd largest copper producer.
🔗 Robert Friedland
🇺🇸🇮🇷⚡️- “U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) completed another round of strikes against Iran at 9 p.m. ET, July 20.
U.S. forces struck Iranian military command centers, maritime capabilities, missile and drone launch sites, and air defense systems to degrade Iran's ability to continue attacking commercial vessels flowing through the Strait of Hormuz.
Commercial vessel transits through the vital international maritime corridor continue. Since early May, CENTCOM forces have helped facilitate the transit of approximately 900 commercial vessels and 450 million barrels of crude oil.
American forces remain postured and prepared to hold Iran accountable for unwarranted aggression toward civilian mariners seeking to freely and openly transit the strait.” - U.S. Central Command.
“This is insane!” — A new vaccine is on the market called VAXELIS lt has 6 VACCINES in ONE SHOT for 6-WEEK-OLD BABIES...6 Infants Died In Trials.
How can this be allowed to happen ?
Dr. Jeff Barke
Mike
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🌆 Market News Digest
[2026-07-19 17:00–2026-07-20 16:30 EST]
🔥 Top Stories
• U.S.-Iran conflict escalates — fresh U.S. strikes, Iranian retaliation, and talks/ceasefire chatter keep markets on edge
• Oil surges on Hormuz risk — Brent topped $90 intraday, WTI near $83, with tanker incidents and Saudi/Hormuz shipping threats
• Trump escalates pressure on Iran — says Iran will “pay” for U.S. deaths; U.S. adds aircraft and signals next campaign phase
• Canada CPI cools — headline CPI eased to 2.8% y/y, supporting easier BoC path and denting CAD
• UK government reset — Starmer resigned; Burnham took over with a reshuffled cabinet, pledging fiscal rules but more flexibility
⛽ Oil & Energy
• Tankers hit / shipping disrupted — fires, explosions and drone threats in Strait of Hormuz, Bahrain, Kuwait and off Oman
• Chevron shuts Petronius output — Gulf platform shut-in as storm risk adds to energy supply worries
• CPC oil loadings suspended — attacks on tankers halt Kazakhstan ...
⛽️ While the price of crude oil is still below the prices seen during the peak of the 3rd Gulf War fighting, diesel prices on the other hand are surging and surpassed their peak in May.
Diesel is the most important fuel for the global economy, widely used in agriculture to fuel tractors and combine-harvesters.
@CIG_telegram
