The Vancouver Sun reports in its Wednesday edition copper is giving a boost to an otherwise sagging B.C. mining industry. The Sun's Derrick Penner quotes consultant Mark Platt at PwC as saying production from B.C. copper mines surged 16 per cent to 997,000 tonnes in 2014, even as the price of copper declined 6 per cent. One reason was the addition of production from Thompson Creek's Mount Milligan mine near Fort St. James, which opened in late 2013. Sales of copper concentrate generated 32 per cent of mining revenues in B.C. in 2014, up from 23 per cent of the industry a year ago, at the same time coal continued to wane. Recent mine openings and production increases have helped stem the losses from other sectors, which saw six mines in total suspend operations in 2014. "Coal has definitely taken a hit," said Karina Brino, head of the Mining Association of B.C. "Two or three years ago we were saying coal is king. Not so much this year, or 2014. We know things are going to change, but copper has definitely come to the rescue." She said the start of production at Imperial Metals' Red Chris copper-gold mine is another hopeful sign. Gross revenue slipped to $8.24-billion in 2014 from $8.54-billion a year ago.