Copper prices have reached an 11-month high of $9,164.50 a ton, driven by U.S. equity market rallies and global supply concerns, including smelter cuts in China and mine closures in Peru and Panama. Freeport-McMoRan's CEO, Richard Adkerson, highlighted the need for improved mine permitting processes in the U.S. and discussed the company's focus on community support and technological advancements in copper smelting and leaching.