Everyday thousands of operators across the world begin their shift by assessing and responding to equipment issues before they begin operations but how can mine sites be sure pre-start inspections are properly completed and that safety, machine uptime and maintenance costs have not been compromised?

Andrew Kaip, managing director of mining equity research at BMO Capital Markets, says the stark reality is that the precious metals sector is only part way through a down cycle and that structural issues will result in a fresh phase of consolidation

Not so long ago, declining commodity prices and the outbreak of an epidemic such as Ebola would have triggered a firesale of interest in Africa.

Depressed oil prices may end up helping, CEO Doug Oberhelman added.

The massive copper project, owned by Wanbao Mining Ltd, drew international attention in 2012 when police brutally dispersed protesters, injuring more than 100 Buddhist monks.

Steinmetz and three BSGR directors argued that Global Witness had obtained personal information about them without authorization and wanted it to be forced to reveal what specific data it held.

Sherritt International (TSX:S), the natural resources company with extensive operations in Cuba, saw a whopping 42.9 percent gain between last Monday and Friday, resulting from an announced thaw in US-Cuba relations.

Vancouver's Turquoise Hill lowers output estimates for Mongolian mine to 600,000oz–700,000oz of gold and 175,000t–195,000t of copper in concentrates.

$9.5bn KSM project in British Columbia boasts reserves of 38m ounces of gold and nearly 10bn pounds of copper – mining 130,000 tonnes a day for 52 years.