Coal mining in Appalachia has survived deadly explosions, the Great Depression and the country’s largest armed insurrection since the Civil War. The latest threat is booming shale-gas production.

BBC News reports on new technology used for mining copper in Chile. Biosigma, a joint venture between Codelco and Nippon Metals and Mining, is experimenting with microbes that break down copper at higher recovery rates and reduce operating costs:

Australia's resources and energy commodity export earnings will continue to grow over the medium term to reach a record $225 billion in 2016-17, said today the Bureau of Resources and Energy Economics (BREE).

Suppliers to mining companies can now obtain for free the USON Pressure Decay Leak Test Calculator-- the first in a family of automated USON NDT Test Calculators – to generate nearly instantaneous answers to “What If” modeling of pressure decay leak testing variables and exact returns-on-investment from new 8-sensor concurrent leak testing technology.

It’s Ecuador and Colombia next for Chilean copper giant Codelco, as the company proceeds with plans to become more international by exploring mining opportunities in neighbouring countries.

President Barack Obama will announce tomorrow a fast tracking of the approval of the southern half of TransCanada's (TSX, NYSE: TRP) Keystone XL oil pipeline, CNN reports.

Rubicon Minerals Corporation (RMX:TSX | RBY:NYSE-AMEX) ("Rubicon") is pleased to announce that the amendments to the Permit to Take Water, the Industrial Sewage Certificate of Approval and the Air Certificate of Approval, pertaining to its 100% owned Phoenix Gold Project located in the heart of the prolific Red Lake Gold district, have been accepted and approved by the Ontario Ministry of Environment.

Greenland Minerals and Energy Limited ("GMEL" or "the Company") (ASX: GGG.AX - News) is pleased to announce the first mineral resource estimate for the 'Zone 2' multi-element deposit. Zone 2 is the second mineral resource established in the broader project area, following the delineation of a 619 Mt resource at Kvanefjeld (March 2011).

Mining company boss Steve Letwin was ecstatic when he struck a precedent-setting deal with the Canadian government to work together on a training project for African youth. “I think it’s the model of the future,” says the president of IAMGOLD Corp., the Toronto gold miner that operates the biggest mine in the West African country of Burkina Faso.