Frequently Asked Questions: RS Metrics

Founded in 2010, RS Metrics analyzes and derives data from satellite and aerial imagery to provide fundamental insights, trends and predictive signals for businesses and investors in metals, industrials, retail and commercial real estate.

RS Metrics’ proprietary, patented technology platform leverages advanced computer vision and machine learning and a scaled QC workflow to generate accurate, predictive and consumable information for customers with fundamental and quantitative focus and capabilities.

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RS Metrics MetalSignals™ provides satellite imagery-based analytics for global copper, aluminum, zinc & iron ore production and storage. The dataset is based on changes in daily, weekly, monthly, and year-over-year estimated growth in raw materials, as well as finished product stored outside at over 500 global smelters and storage facilities.

MetalSignals™ from RS Metrics address customers' key pain-points around optical imagery data - reliability and frequency, since radar imaging makes it possible to track through clouds and even in total darkness. RS Metrics MetalSignals™ SAR covers over 90% of the global volumes for Iron ore at a weekly frequency expanding to bauxite & coal shortly.

Estimated measurements for each location include:

• Finished Products Area (m²)
• Piles Area (m²)
• Concentrate Bags Area (m²)
• Copper Cathodes Area (m²)
• Copper Anodes Area (m²)
• Employee Cars
• Containers
• Semi-Trailer Trucks
• Dump Trucks/Tippers
• Collection Date & Time
• Location Type (Smelter/Storage/Port)
• Metal Type

The data includes approximately five years of historical data (back to 2013 for most locations) and ongoing daily and weekly updates from 90 copper smelters and storage facilities.

Frequency of data collected for each location ranges from every few days to every few months (dependent largely on how remote the location is and historical interest in tasking satellites). Frequency will increase over time as more satellites become operational, with expectations to reach near-daily frequency for most locations.

Note: There may be some days where little or no new data is posted, depending on recent satellite collections.

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CME DataMine offers these options for Copper, Aluminum, Iron Ore and Zinc:

Daily MetalSignals™ :
Weekly MetalSignals™ GMMT (Country Level Aggregates)
Copper 1M & 3M Price Directionality

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File format is .CSV.

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Typically, 50kb of additional data is added to the full historical file each day.

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One file per metal product is uploaded either Daily or Weekly depending on the dataset update frequency.

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New data is delivered daily.

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Typically, 12 p.m. Eastern Time.

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No.

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Yes, complete global history is available with any trial subscription. A smaller sample file is also available without a subscription.

View aluminum sample file.

View iron ore sample file. 

GMMT:

Zinc Sample File.

Copper 1M & 3M Price Directionality:

Copper Sample File.

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January 2013.

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See separate MetalSignals™ data field descriptions document:

MetalSignals™ Field Description File

GMMT field descriptions document:

GMMT Field Description File

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