The price of industrial metals is manipulated by bankers, governments and industrialists, and you really need to take a long term view, unless you are very experienced and knowledgeable. For example, the current infatuation with electric cars is causing some metals to increase in value. Electric cars are more damaging to the environment, but they export pollution from the cities, and impose it on the rest of the country. Governments tend to be located in cities, and give their improvements a priority. If they decide that they can get as much control over motoring from other fuel sources, then all those electric cars will be on the scrap heap, and motorists will be forced to switch to fuel cells, or some alternative. Just think, if China decides that it wants to retaliate against the oil exporting nations, it could develop cars with propulsion systems that use hydrogen extracted from water. Think of the impact that will have on world economies.
Probably. During WW2 and other wars the strategic mineral was
Casiterite. The thing about all this strategic minerals is that they are required for certain applications but in small quantities so even an small discovery of deposits or the opening of a new mine, even if small, may drive the price down.
Equally, is there is an unforeseen demand, the price may skyrocket since the production is very low.
