Canada's First Quantum's earnings hurt by lower copper output

Canadian base metal miner First Quantum Minerals reported a bigger-than-expected drop in third-quarter earnings on Thursday, due in part to lower copper and nickel production. The company, which primarily mines copper but also produces nickel and gold, said earnings fell to $121.2-million, or $0.21 a share, in the three months through September, from $143-million, or $0.24, a year earlier.