Analysis of a number of indicators points towards a turn around in metals market during 2017 after several rough years. The past years certainly were disastrous in terms of the depth of the fall, but it must not be forgotten that the downturn started from an extreme high whether in 2011 or earlier. During 2016 all prices for metals produced in the EU have improved. The industry's market valuation is slowly improving. At the peak in the first half of 2011 the market capitalization of just short of 2500 bn USD. In 2016 the mining companies had lost 2/3 of their market value and were around 750 bn only. During the first years of the super cycle, European politicians and Commission bureaucrats were caught unaware of the strong foreign dependency of the metal supply for European industry. In absolute terms, copper production has increased by 10% from 2000 to 894 kt in 2014. Zinc production has fallen by a little less to 840 kt in the same period. European equipment manufacturers seem to have been increasing their market shares in recent years of downturn in total investments when productivity has been in focus not only volumes.