The mining cycle turned two years ago – gains for the sector's largest companies have far outpaced stocks like Apple, Amazon, Google and Facebook since.
China plans to create several "super-large" coal mining companies by the end of 2020 as nation ramps up years of efforts to streamline the fragmented sector.
Physical gold demand across Asia remained subdued this week as prices rallied to a three-and-a-half-month high, keeping retail buyers away from the market.
Breakthrough discovery backed by the US government replaces cobalt with iron in lithium-ion batteries – enabling much cheaper, longer lasting batteries.
Cold weather is expected to hit regions across China in the coming week, bringing snow and rain that may cause disruptions at construction sites, one of the biggest consumers of steel.