While the yellow metal has struggled in the last few months, many analysts are still expecting big things from gold in 2012.

Betting that copper prices would rise, Barclays Capital traders lost tens of millions of dollars, sources say, the bank said the losses were not "big" and that there was no "abnormal" trade.

The substantial capex required for the development of a rare earths mine, compounded by major miners' lack of interest in mining rare earths, may spell trouble in meeting future demand.

A major Canadian bank is predicting better months ahead for copper and oil.

The Japanese tsunami and subsequent Fukishima nuclear accident in March challenged uranium market sentiment. A retrospective of expert commentary on this still-promising sector from the Energy Report.

Tens of thousands of residents from Haimen, China, who protested the construction of a coal-fired power plant earlier this week, are now being arrested.

TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - Dec. 22, 2011) - Detour Gold Corporation (TSX:DGC) ("Detour Gold") is pleased to announce the approval of the Comprehensive Study Report ("CSR") regarding the environmental assessment for the Detour Lake project by the Federal Minister of Environment.

MILWAUKEE--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Joy Global Inc. (NYSE:JOY) ("Joy Global") a worldwide leader in high productivity mining solutions today announced that it has received approval from the Anti-monopoly Bureau of the Ministry of Commerce of the People's Republic of China for its planned purchase of International Mining Machinery Holdings Limited (HKSE:1683) ("IMM"), a leading designer and manufacturer of underground mining equipment in China. These shares represent approximately 41.1% of the outstanding common stock of IMM.

Conventional copper mining involves removing ore from the ground, then crushing and treating it to remove the minerals trapped in the rock.