January 8, 2016

Brazil tailings dam spill much smaller than original estimates

BHP Billiton said Friday the dam burst at the Samarco iron ore mine in Brazil released 32m cubic metres of sludge, almost half earlier estimates.

January 8, 2016

Worst year for US mining jobs since 1986

12 straight months of losses see 129,000 positions eliminated, the deepest jobs cuts in 29 years and the third worst annual decline since 1939.

January 8, 2016

Asteroid miner 3D-prints spacecraft prototype with alien metal

What Planetary Resources' 3D-printed model so impressive is the fact that it’s made entirely out of metal that’s not from Earth.

January 8, 2016

Political risk seen on the rise in these key mining markets

Major commodity-producing countries are set to remain under intense finance strain in 2016, which will increase the risk of social unrest, says Verisk Maplecroft.

January 8, 2016

Chart of the Week: “Worst start in history”

In our review of the economic events of 2015, we noted that the simple turning of a calendar page does not rectify the problems of the previous year.

January 7, 2016

Anglo American teeters on the brink

Fresh selloff brings year loss to 80%. Outside metal prices rebounding (aka divine intervention) and barring extending a begging bowl, what will save Anglo?

January 7, 2016

Iron ore prices to fall back into the $30s — Citi

Prices fell Thursday for a second consecutive session. According to Metal Bulletin, the spot price for benchmark 62% fines dropped by 0.46%, or 20 cents, to $42.91 a tonne.

January 6, 2016

Private capital won’t touch mining

Only 0.6% of private capital raised in 2015 for natural resource investment is for mining projects–one wind farm fund attracted more than the entire sector.

January 5, 2016

Iron ore price 16% rally off decade low comes to abrupt halt

Hopes pinned on Big 4 to exercise their "unprecedented pricing power".

January 5, 2016

BC mining in 2016: New mines on track despite dire outlook

Hard decisions by some mining companies are required in 2016 if they are to avoid solvency problems, warns the Bank of Merrill Lynch.