Topic: How To Invest

Dear Pat: Thanks for your ongoing financial help and advice. What are your thoughts on First Quantum Minerals? How do you compare it to Teck Resources as an investment? Thanks.

Article Excerpt

First Quantum Minerals, $50.16, symbol FM on Toronto (Shares outstanding: 78.2 million; Market cap: $3.9 billion), is a mining-and-metals company that is listed in Toronto and London. First Quantum owns mines in Zambia, Mauritania, Finland and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Around 85% of its revenue comes from copper sales, with the remainder from gold. First Quantum’s Zambian assets include the 80%-owned Kansanshi open-pit copper/gold mine, the 100%-owned Fishtie copper project and the 100%-owned Bwana Mkubwa extraction and sulphuric-acid plants. First Quantum also holds a 16.9% interest in Mopani Copper Mines, operator of the Nkana underground copper mine and cobalt refinery and the Mufulira underground copper mine, smelter and copper refinery. As well, First Quantum owns a 16.32% stake in Equinox Minerals Ltd. (symbol EQN on Toronto), which operates the Lumwana copper mine. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, First Quantum operates the 95%-owned open-pit Frontier copper mine, and is developing the 65%-owned Kolwezi copper-cobalt tailings project. In Mauritania, First Quantum…