Teck shifts focus to ‘green’ metals

Article Excerpt

Mining firm Teck Resources recently announced that it will spin off its metallurgical coal (used for making steel) operations. It also recently sold its stake in an oil sands project. These moves are part of its plan to focus on “low carbon metals,” particularly copper and zinc. That will help it tap rising sales of electric vehicles, which use large amounts of copper for their batteries and motors. Power utilities will also need new copper transmission lines as more of those electric cars are plugged into the power grid. TECK RESOURCES LTD. $46 is a buy. The company (Toronto symbol TECK.B; Resources sector; Shares outstanding: 514.1 million; Market cap: $23.6 billion; Dividend yield: 1.1%; Takeover Target Rating: Lowest; www.teck.com) explores for and develops various types of minerals, including copper, gold, zinc and metallurgical coal. Teck traces its roots back to 1913 but took its current form in October 2008. That’s when the company acquired the remaining 80.05% of Fording Canadian Coal Trust that it did not already…