Company Report: Northern Orion Resources
Northern Orion Resources Northern Orion Resources has laid a sturdy foundation from which to develop and expand its gold and copper mining capabilities

Few commodities are more concretely tied to the laws of supply and demand than those that are mined from the ground.

A shortage due to lack of exploitable resources or overheated demand can send prices for these commodities such as gold, copper, and silver soaring.

"Currently there are high metal prices as compared to historic trends, though, on an inflation adjusted basis, we are not at all time highs" says David Cohen, president and CEO of Northern Orion Resources, a mining company based in Vancouver, B.C. "The demand for metals is significant, as there is increasing and large demand in Asia as the Chinese and Indian economies continue to grow, and there is little erosion in demand in Europe and North America. I do not anticipate this changing for some time."

Cohen adds that the supply side of the equation has been somewhat constrained over the past few years. Only 15 percent of what had been anticipated to be in production five years ago has actually been brought online in the copper sector. The net result is relatively high prices that have so far remained stable, which is a good thing for the mining industry, says Cohen.

"You don't want prices to get too high because then you attract the development of mines

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