There is, of course, demand for all these metals. Metal production will always have a market, it is just that the abundance of metal isn't the issue; hence, lower commodity costs.
...Basic metal (click here) production experienced a boom in recent years due to a significant increase in commodity prices. New investments, in most developing countries in the form of FDI (Foreign Direct Investment), created new possibilities for employment and development. Fuelled by the high prices for metals, mergers and acquisitions considerably changed the industry, creating new global players in a sector that had, until recently, been characterized by numerous small (often state-owned) enterprises,
Falling prices for most metals indicate that the growth experienced in the sector has likely come to a halt, suggesting the potential end of the so-called “supercycle” and the return of the cycles that characterized the industry in previous decades. Uncertainties as to employment and its nature in the sector have also been fuelled by calls for the industry to change production processes in ways that would reduce its carbon footprint. Work is being undertaken on assessing the implications of these changes....
