Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc.’s $25.9 billion cash-and-stock acquisition of Phelps Dodge Corp. was approved today, a deal that would create the world’s largest publicly traded copper company.
In separate votes by shareholders of New Orleans-based Freeport and Phoenix-based Phelps Dodge, the buyout was approved by about 98 percent of the votes cast, the companies said [...]

Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc. and Phelps Dodge Corp. announced each company will hold a special meeting of its stockholders on March 14, 2007, to vote on the proposed acquisition of Phelps Dodge by FCX. Stockholders who hold shares of FCX and Phelps Dodge common stock at the close of business on February 12, [...]

Phelps Dodge Corp., world’s No. 2 copper producer, sees increased copper production and sales in the first quarter over fourth quarter 2006.
The Phoenix, Arizona-based mining giant expects to produce between 625 million and 655 million lbs of copper in the first quarter of 2007 and about 2.9 billion lbs for the year, said Phelps Dodge [...]

Shanghai copper futures closed 4 percent lower on Tuesday, tracking the previous day’s losses in London when profit taking dragged copper down 3.8 percent.
The most active April contract was down 2,370 yuan at 51,910 yuan ($6,679) a tonne at the close. Just before the closing bell, copper was at its downside limit of 51,900 yuan.
Copper [...]

Phelps Dodge Corp., which is being acquired by Freeport McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc., reported a ten-fold increase in fourth-quarter profit on Monday as it cashed in on higher copper prices.
The price of copper averaged $3.20 a pound in the quarter, up from $1.95 a year earlier. The red metal, which peaked at around $3.80 [...]

Anglo American Plc , the world’s third biggest mining group, has joined the rush to discover new Philippine mines by seeking permits to explore in a dozen areas in the country, a source close to the firm said on Friday.
Anglo, which has a joint venture with local firm Philex Mining Corp. in the Boyongan copper [...]

The Philippines’ long dormant mining sector is on the verge of taking off, with five of the world’s largest firms joining the rush to dig the country’s untapped mineral wealth, a senior official said on Thursday.
Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Angelo Reyes said he expected a mining boom in the country in 2008, despite the [...]

A weaker-than-expected quarterly earnings report from Freeport McMoran Copper & Gold Inc. sent the miner’s shares lower on Tuesday, as results fell far short of Wall Street’s forecast.
New Orleans-based Freeport — which is buying rival copper miner Phelps Dodge Corp. for $25.9 billion — reported declining production at its core Indonesian mining operations hurt earnings [...]

Phelps Dodge Corp. will conduct a live audio Webcast of its fourth quarter 2006 conference call with the financial community Monday, Jan. 29, 2007, at 9:30 a.m. EST. J. Steven Whisler, chairman and chief executive officer, will serve as host and will review fourth quarter 2006 financial results, which will be released before the opening [...]

Atticus Capital, an asset management company that owns a large stake in Phelps Dodge Corp., said Friday it plans to vote its shares in favor of the company’s takeover by Freeport-McMoRan Copper and Gold Inc.
Under Freeport-McMoRan’s offer, each Phelps Dodge share would be exchanged for $88 in cash plus 0.67 of a common share of [...]