There are several types of prices for mineral raw materials on the international market: - commodity exchange quotations, e.g. aluminium, copper, nickel, lead, tin, zinc, silver, gold, platinum, palladium, - producer prices, e.g. lithium, - contract prices, e.g. bauxite, iron ore, - prices of international traders and producers association, e.g. diamond, uranium. Based on the analysis of the above type of prices the author proved that the worId prices of a particular mineral commodity is the price established on an international trading exchange appIicable to both future and option transaction. AlI other prices in international trading can be regarded as international prices. As the world price has the characteristic feature, the factors determining the worId price are particular. On the basis of the chan ges that have taken place in the copper prices, the following cIassification of factors has been proposed, taking into account their effect on the level, of the worId price: - structural factors, - technological and marketing factors, - business climate factors, - substitution factors, - speculative factors.