Frequently Asked Questions

How good is MetalMiner’s track record?

MetalMiner’s performance has been exceptional and well-documented, not to boast! MetalMiner publishes a five-year forecasting track record showing how its guidance performed across up, down and sideways markets. The company consistently called bullish and bearish turns before they happened, helping subscribers lock in low prices ahead of rallies or avoid costly spikes. Current subscribers report saving millions of dollars by following MetalMiner’s buying recommendations.

How can a buyer use MetalMiner’s should-cost models to negotiate with a supplier?

A MetalMiner should-cost model breaks down every element of a secondary metal product, from from base commodity price (LME, Comex etc.) to grade, size, extras, conversion fees, freight and even tariffs! This granular transparency gives procurement teams a powerful negotiating edge. Knowing exactly what a component “should” cost allows the buyer to challenge inflated supplier quotes with data.

For example, MetalMiner’s steel should-cost model provides a price breakdown of base price plus mill extras (gauge, width and quality adders) for major U.S. mills. Buyers can see if a supplier’s added processing or margin is out of line and use that info to push for a better price. In practice, subscribers use these models to negotiate annual contracts more effectively, e.g. leveraging MetalMiner’s mill-by-mill cost comparisons to save on surcharges and extras.

How long does MetalMiner believe current price trends will last?

MetalMiner provides both short-term and long-term outlooks to answer this. In their Monthly Metals Outlook, they forecast price direction and trading ranges for the upcoming month. For any given metal’s current trend, MetalMiner will indicate if they see it continuing or reversing in those time frames.

For example, if copper prices are surging, MetalMiner might signal that a bullish trend has begun, and advise procuring a few months’ supply in advance, better known as “going long”. These guidance durations often appear as recommended forward-buy periods (e.g. “buy 3 months forward” during a confirmed uptrend) The granularity of the forecasts helps answer “how long?”. MetalMiner might note that a price rally still has momentum into next quarter or that a decline is nearing a bottom in the upcoming month.

When negotiating annual contracts, MetalMiner provides a quarterly annual outlook that projects the price for the next 12 months and, again, provides a long-term recommendation on contracting strategies.

What metal price points does MetalMiner track?

A wide array of metals and forms across global markets. MetalMiner’s platform covers all major industrial metals and many product-specific price points, including:

Base Metals: Aluminum, copper, nickel, zinc, lead and tin, with prices from LME, Comex and regional markets (e.g. U.S., European, and Chinese prices).
Steel (Carbon Steel): Hot-rolled coil (HRC), cold-rolled coil (CRC), hot-dipped galvanized steel (HDG) and steel plate. MetalMiner provides U.S. mill prices, along with international benchmarks where relevant. Should-cost models provide prices at the grade and form level as well.
Stainless Steel: Finished prices for a full range of commonly used grades such as 304, 430, 316 etc. In addition, the firm provides a surcharge forecast for a range of grades as well.
Battery Metals: Chinese and South America prices for lithium. Chinese prices for cobalt, manganese and nickel sulfate. As well as prices for specific battery types, which includes LCO, LMO carbonate-based, LMO hydroxide based, NCA 811, NCA 955, NMC 111 carbonate based and NMC 811 hydroxide based batteries.
Critical Minerals: MetalMiner is a leader in the development of market-based critical mineral prices and long-term forecasts. Examples include: gallium, germanium, tungsten, dysprosium. etc.
Precious Metals: Comex prices for gold, silver, palladium and platinum.
Minor Metals: Titanium plate and titanium sponge prices.
Scrap Metal Prices: U.S.-based scrap steel prices.

In practical terms, MetalMiner offers over 200 distinct price feeds on its platform, MetalMiner Insights. This includes exchange-traded prices (LME, COMEX), futures, and a host of processed-metal price points that procurement professionals actually pay. Such comprehensive coverage means you can likely find the exact grade, form and region for the metal you buy, not just a generic index. And if you can’t find an exact match, the MetalMiner team will develop an index for you.

How far out does MetalMiner’s forecast go, and how accurate is it?

Forecast horizon: MetalMiner provides forecasts on a monthly, quarterly and annual horizon. Each month’s outlook report gives a near-term forecast (a 30 day price range and trend indications), and they also produce an Annual Outlook that projects price direction for the coming 12 months. This annual forecast isn’t a single hard number per se, but rather a forward-looking analysis of where prices could move over the next year (often presented as ranges or scenario-based guidance).

In addition to this MetalMiner issues real-time alerts if the market shifts suddenly, ensuring their guidance stays current between forecast reports. Their actionable advice tends to focus on the next few months to a year, which aligns with most sourcing cycles.

Accuracy: MetalMiner’s accuracy is a major selling point, which is backed up by their track record. MetalMiner’s approach continuously monitors market signals and guidance, which helps maintain a high performance level. Over the past five years, they have consistently anticipated major turning points in metal prices. For example, their forecast team alerted subscribers to bullish runs in steel and aluminum before those markets peaked, allowing buyers to lock in material at lower costs.

The documented savings are significant: one case study showed a procurement organization saving $1+ million (7.3%) on a yearly stainless steel buy by timing purchases per MetalMiner’s signals. Other subscribers have seen double-digit percentage savings on steel and aluminum categories by following the forecast-driven strategies.

These outcomes imply that the forecasts have been quite accurate in practice, to yield tangible ROI. MetalMiner’s own CEO noted that their AI-driven forecasting achieved an unmatched performance in the market. And while no forecast is 100% perfect, MetalMiner’s policy of frequent updates and range-based projections helps adjust for volatility, keeping accuracy on track.

Does MetalMiner offer a money-back guarantee?

MetalMiner does officially support a money-back guarantee. Most MetalMiner customers have paid the cost of their subscription in their first purchase. MetalMiner is very focused on delivering value and ROI to clients. They often point out that if you follow their guidance, the cost savings should far exceed the subscription fee, effectively covering the service cost many times over in testimonials and case studies. Customers highlight that MetalMiner’s forecasts helped them save hundreds of thousands or even millions in procurement costs, validating the investment. The company’s strong track record and subscriber success stories serve as assurance. If you’re evaluating MetalMiner alongside competitors, it’s worth asking their sales reps about any performance guarantees or opt-out clauses.

If I already subscribe to a competitor, why should I switch to (or add) MetalMiner?

Even if you have another market intel source, MetalMiner brings unique value that can complement or outperform traditional competitors:

Proactive Forecasting vs. Price Reporting: Many competitors focus on publishing market prices and news analysis. MetalMiner goes a step further by providing forward-looking forecasts and specific buying strategies, telling you when to buy or hedge, not just what the price is today. This actionable approach helps procurement teams actually capitalize on market trends rather than simply tracking them.
Granular “Should-Cost” Insight: MetalMiner offers highly detailed should-cost models and cost breakdowns that most competitors don’t provide. For instance, MetalMiner’s aluminum models includes conversion costs by grade/gauge, data points that “few, if any others, publish,” according to their CEO. This granularity (covering extras, adders, regional premiums, etc.) lets you negotiate with suppliers using facts your other service providers might not give you. It’s like having X-ray vision into the makeup of metal prices. Competitors may give you the LME price and perhaps a regional premium; MetalMiner shows the full build-up of the mill price, which is a huge advantage.
Breadth of Price Coverage: MetalMiner’s database may be able to bridge the gaps if your current subscription only covers certain metal types or specific regions. They track global prices for multiple forms of each metal, often providing broader or more specific coverage than others. For example, a competitor might quote a generic “LME aluminum price,” whereas MetalMiner can show you a 3000, 5000, or 6000 series price. This level of detail can highlight opportunities (or discrepancies) that a higher-level index might miss.
AI + Technical Analysis Edge: MetalMiner’s methodology blends advanced predictive modeling, machine learning based on technical analysis. This approach catches subtle shifts in trend that a purely fundamental or news-driven service might overlook. If you subscribe to a traditional analysis service, adding MetalMiner can provide a second perspective grounded in pattern recognition and predictive analytics. Their track record shows that they have successfully identified inflection points using this approach, even when “consensus” sentiment lagged. Having MetalMiner’s signal during volatile times can make the difference between acting early and reacting late. It certainly helps avoid the problem of high priced inventory.
Cost Savings and ROI Focus: Procurement teams often justify MetalMiner by the direct savings it generates. One client noted MetalMiner “beats finding generic info on the web” yielding very concrete negotiation leverage. If your current provider isn’t helping you drive costs down in negotiations, MetalMiner’s tools (like price benchmarks and should-cost models) can deliver that hard dollar impact. Essentially, MetalMiner speaks the language of CFOs and CEOs by translating market intel into margin improvement, a value proposition that might surpass your existing service.
Budget- Friendly Options and the Ability to “Unbundle”: MetalMiner offers a variety of different solutions to fit your company’s specific needs (e.g. the full MetalMiner Insights platform vs. the lighter MetalMiner Select option for targeted data). This means you can tailor the service to your needs and budget. If you’re with a competitor that forces a large bundle of prices you don’t use, MetalMiner lets you pick specific metal price points so you’re not overpaying for data which isn’t relevant to your business. MetalMiner also offers “automated alert” API feeds as well as both price, forecast and should-cost API feeds.
Expert Support: As a subscriber, you get access to MetalMiner’s analysts (for questions or quarterly check-ins) and a wealth of educational content (workshops, webinars, etc.). The team is known for being responsive and knowledgeable about procurement challenges. In contrast, bigger price reporting agencies can be more transactional. If you value a partnership-style service where you can bounce ideas off the experts, or have a price/forecast developed for you, MetalMiner provides that personal touch.

In short, MetalMiner can either replace or augment your current solution by providing more actionable forecasts, deeper cost insight, and a better ROI. Many buyers initially subscribe to MetalMiner because they were frustrated with paying for services that told them yesterday’s price but not tomorrow’s trend. MetalMiner fills that gap with a focus on forecast accuracy and procurement strategy. As their marketing says, it’s about knowing how to respond to metal prices, not just knowing them.