Fortescue (ASX:FMG) share price in the spotlight on Alta Copper acquisition

Group 1 - Fortescue Ltd is acquiring the remaining 64% of Alta Copper, having already owned 36% of the company, with the deal subject to shareholder and court approval, targeted to close in the March 2026 quarter [2] - Alta Copper shareholders will receive $1.40 per share, representing a 50% premium to the 30-day volume weighted average price, implying a total equity value of $139 million for Alta Copper [3] - Alta Copper focuses on its Canariaco project in Northern Peru, which has a reported mineral resource of 1.1 billion tonnes at a 0.42% copper equivalent grade [4] Group 2 - The acquisition aligns with the increasing demand for copper, particularly in AI development and technology sectors, as copper is essential for data centers and telecommunications [6] - Fortescue's share price is down approximately 1.2%, showing resilience compared to other major ASX mining companies, which have seen larger declines [7] - The cyclical nature of ASX mining shares suggests that potential investors may want to wait for a lower point in the share price cycle before purchasing Fortescue shares, despite a 20% increase since the beginning of the year [8]