In trading on Wednesday, precious metals shares were relative laggards, up on the day by about 0.1%.

Helping drag down the group were shares of Tanzanian Gold, down about 3.8% and shares of Western Copper and Gold off about 3.3% on the day.

Also lagging the market Wednesday are non-precious metals & non-metallic mining shares, up on the day by about 0.4% as a group, led down by Companhia Siderurgica Nacional, trading lower by about 2.5% and Cleveland-cliffs, trading lower by about 1.8%.