NEW ZEALAND

It’s getting warm in Antarctica, but mining still a pipe dream

The West Antarctic Ice Sheet is warming at three times the global average. Would this open the door for mining?

Australia tries rescuing Rio Tinto’s aluminum operations

Australia’s federal government has agreed to back the construction of a proposed gas pipeline to supply Rio Tinto’s (LON, ASX:RIO) struggling Gove aluminum operations in the country’s Northern Territory.

Damning report blames Pike River 'horror story' on failings by all sides

The Royal Commission's report on New Zealand's Pike River disaster has castigated all parties involved for egregious oversights and failings occasioning what some commentators have referred to as a mining "horror story."

Newmont recognized by Carbon Disclosure Project for third consecutive year

Newmont Mining Corporation (NYSE: NEM) announced Monday it was recognized for transparent climate change disclosure practices by the Carbon Disclosure Project’s (CDP) Leadership Index for the third consecutive year.

Mexico is the most energy secure country – report

Mexico is the most energy secure nation among the world's 25 biggest energy consumers, reported the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in a recent study of the largest energy-consuming countries.

The “boom” might be over but Kiwis still flock to Australia

A record number of skilled New Zealanders involved in trade are leaving their country to take up higher paying jobs in Australia.

$500,000 diamond shoes for a sharp dresser

If you have wanted to be Cinderella, Kiwi shoe designer Kathryn Wilson can make it happen, but you'll need a spare $500,000 or so.

Newmont announces lay-offs down south

Gold mining giant Newmont (NYSE:NEM) has announced lay-offs at operations in Australasia in what the company says is a precursor to world-wide retrenchments.

Last-ditch bid to save New Zealand mine jobs

Workers from Solid Energy's Spring Creek mine will march on Parliament tomorrow in "one last throw of the dice" to save it.

Rio cuts jobs at aluminum operations in Australasia

Diversified mining giant Rio Tinto has announced major job cuts at aluminum operations in both Australia and New Zealand.

28 New Zealand miners rescued from Waihi gold mine

Twenty eight miners who were trapped in Waihi's Trio gold mine following a fire accident have all been safely evacuated.

Pike River mine sold to Solid Energy

Pike River Coal has been sold to state-owned enterprise Solid Energy New Zealand under a conditional agreement, receivers for the mine said today. The company went into receivership after a mine explosion that killed the 29 workers in 2010. Before the disaster, the mine was valued at about $400 million.

Pike hydro mining operator worried mine could blow up

The former hydro-mining operator at Pike River says he left the mine after only three months because he was worried it could blow up.

Former Pike River Coal CEO Mr Whittall faces 12 criminal charges

The New Zealand Labor Department confirmed that Pike River Coal's former CEO Mr Peter Whittall faces 12 criminal charges over the 2010 mine explosion that killed 29 miners.

Charges filed in New Zealand 2010 mine explosion

New Zealand's Labour Department filed 25 criminal charges Thursday over safety and health violations at a coal mine where an explosion last year killed 29 miners.

Spongebob Squarepants one ounce silver coins legal tender on South Pacific island

Animation Insider reports SpongeBob SquarePants contributes a hefty amount to Nickelodeon Consumer Product's estimated $5.5 billion in annual, worldwide retail sales.

For international coin collectors – or for that one die-hard SpongeBob fan who must have absolutely everything – two companies are partnering with Nickelodeon to manufacture a limited run of four, one-ounce, silver legal tender, based on the cartoon. PFG Precious Metals from Chicago, a wholesale precious metals company, and the New Zealand Mint, a respected minter legal tender for four and a half decades, are now accepting orders for SpongeBob silver.

New Zealand to expand coking coal exports with new project

Preliminary exploration work carried out by Solid Energy, New Zealand's state-owned coal producer, indicates there is potential for a combined underground and open-cut mining operation for the Liverpool project producing 500,000 mt/year of hard coking coal for the seaborne-traded market …

Five mining permits for New Zealand West Coast

Crown Minerals has granted five gold mining permits, one gold prospecting permit and one coal prospecting permit on the West Coast in the last month.

China coal giant bids for New Zealand's fatal Pike River mine

The Manawatu Standard reports giant Chinese state-owned Shanxi Coal is understood to be in the running to buy New Zealand's Pike River Coal as part of a joint bid with local miner Solid Energy. Bids closed a week ago, with four players making offers, sources said.

One Indian company is believed to have pulled out and another Indian company was still understood to be in the running. The state-owned mine operated by Solid Energy was put up for sale as part of a privatization programme by the New Zealand government and after an enormous methane explosion ripped through the mine near Greymouth on November 19 last year killing 29 men.

Mining company promises 600 new jobs for Otago

The expansion of New Zealand's largest gold mine will create nearly 600 jobs in east Otago, says international mining company Oceana Gold.

NZ coal mine faces opposition

Opposition is growing in New Zealand to a Perth-based company;s bid to mine on conservation land on the South Island.

Dispute halts New Caledonia nickel ore exports to South Korea

A dispute in the north of New Caledonia has stopped the export of nickel ore from the SMSP site to its South Korean partner, Posco. Members of the Kaala-Gomen tribe claim that the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples provides for them to have a share of the profit drawn from mining.

Quakes, Pike River hit Solid Energy's profit

Earthquake and disruptions related to the Pike River mining disaster slashed Solid Energy's profit by about $35 million.

Also, its renewable energy businesses are not profitable and made a loss of $17m in the year to June 30.

However, the state-owned coal miner's chairman, John Palmer, said the company produced a strong performance, with a 29 per cent increase in profit to $87.2m for the year to June 2011 from a 20 per cent lift in sales to $829m.

New Zealand open-cast coal mine wins approval

A proposed open-cast coal mine on West Coast conservation land has gained resource consents because of its economic benefits.

West Coast Regional Council released the decision yesterday to grant consents for a subsidiary of Perth-based Bathurst Resources Ltd to mine 200 hectares in the Mt Rochfort Conservation Area on Denniston Plateau, near Westport.

Pike miner cheats death again

Pike River mine survivor Daniel Rockhouse has escaped death once again when the Australian mine he was working in caved in. Rockhouse was one of two miners who survived the Pike River mine disaster last year. His brother Ben was one of 29 men who were killed.