Metals prices mixed on weaker dollar, lower oil prices

Metals prices were mixed Tuesday.

Gold was up slightly on a weaker dollar after declining earlier as oil prices declined.

August gold had added 30 cents to $886.60 per troy ounce just before the close of floor trade in New York, while at the same time July platinum was up $13.60 to $2,064.30 per troy ounce but July silver dropped 17 cents to $17.06 per troy ounce.

Copper dropped with the decline in oil prices as demand for the metal as a hedge against inflation dropped and as London Metal Exchange stockpiles increased.

September copper was down 1 cent to $3.65 per pound in New York while three-month copper was down $10 to $8,090 per tonne in London, with prices down despite ongoing protests at Peru mines which prevented workers from reaching some mines.