The trade standoff comes just days after the U.S. government announced a 10% stake in Trilogy Metals (TMQ) — the latest step in Trump’s push to secure domestic supplies of essential minerals. The $35.6 million investment supports Trilogy’s Upper Kobuk Mineral Projects (UKMP) in Alaska, rich in copper, zinc, gold, silver, and lead — vital for defense systems, clean energy, and data infrastructure.
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The deal also reverses a Biden-era block on the Ambler Road, a 211-mile route needed to reach the mines in Alaska’s Brooks Range. Once built, it will connect one of North America’s largest untapped mineral regions to U.S. industry. Trilogy’s stock surged over 210% following the news.

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Why Copper Matters So Much

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Copper is one of the most important metals in the world — it powers electric cars, data centers, renewable energy, and defense systems. Demand is climbing fast, but global supply is falling behind.
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Recently, major copper mines have been hit by accidents and protests — including a deadly mudslide at Freeport-McMoRan’s Grasberg mine in Indonesia, which wiped out over 500,000 tonnes of supply. Analysts say the world could face a major copper shortage by 2026 because not enough new mines are being built.
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To show how big the demand is: Microsoft’s AI data centers use about 27 tonnes of copper for every megawatt (MW) of power. A single 500 MW data center needs around 13,000 tonnes of copper — enough to make millions of EV motors or power thousands of homes for a year.
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This shortage makes U.S. copper projects much more important. Mines like Trilogy Metals’ Upper Kobuk project in Alaska could help reduce U.S. reliance on foreign supply and support energy, defense, and AI growth.
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• Freeport-McMoRan (FCX) – Largest U.S. copper miner; key to grid and EV expansion.
• Trilogy Metals (TMQ) – Backed by U.S. government stake; developing Alaska’s Upper Kobuk copper and zinc mines.
• Taseko Mines (TGB) – Building the Florence Copper project in Arizona for domestic production.
• Ivanhoe Electric (IE) – Advanced U.S. copper exploration using 3D geophysics.
• Hudbay Minerals (HBM) – Developing the Mason copper project in Nevada.
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The Bigger Picture

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Trump’s recent actions — from partnerships and stakes in Intel, UAMY, MP Materials (rare earths), and Lithium Americas (lithium) to Trilogy Metals (copper and zinc) — show a clear strategic shift: the U.S. is no longer just funding key industries; it’s buying ownership in them.
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By building a network of domestic mining and processing projects, Washington is laying the foundation for energy independence, defense readiness, and long-term control of critical resources — just as the next global trade war begins.
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Level 2 users have already captured several major gains tied to this trend, including:
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Rare Earth & Semiconductor Trades
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• PPTA (3/20/26 $15 Calls): $5.40 → $8.90 | +64.8% in 24 days
• PPTA (Equity): $18.85 → $22.00 | +16.7% in 24 days
• INTC (1/16/26 $25 Calls): $3.45 → $7.60 | +120.3% in 34 days
• INTC (Equity): $24.72 → $32.50 | +31.5% in 34 days
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Nuclear Energy Theme
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• CCJ (3/20/26 $75 Calls): $14.15 → $22.20 | +56.9% in 29 days
• BWXT (Equity): $174.50 → $195.27 | +11.9% in 17 days
• BWXT (2/20/26 Calls): $22.00 → $35.00 | +59.1% in 14 days
• LEU (Equity): $191.65 → $297.00 | +55.0% in 25 days
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We also release exclusive Level 2 Reports detailing high-impact trends such as the nuclear trade, data center infrastructure buildout, and U.S. strategic reserve expansion — each featuring actionable trade opportunities aligned with these policy-driven market shifts.

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