Canada’s Franco-Nevada has committed a whopping $1 billion to support the development costs of Inmet's massive Cobre Panama copper project in exchange for a future precious metals stream.

Already running at a loss or struggling to stay in the black, most thermal coal mines in Australia's Queensland are now facing additional challenges as exports drop and major projects wind back.

A 2200 MW coal power plant opened in Cologne is being lauded for aiding Germany’s transition from nuclear power to renewables. 



If everything goes as planned, at the end of this week Chile’s Codelco and Anglo American will sign a long-awaited agreement that would end one of the biggest business disputes in recent decades.

Investors do not need to travel the world to make money in gold mining stocks. Nevada has world-class geology, infrastructure and a mine-friendly legal system without the substantial risks of international resource development.

"Owners of the illegal gold mines were recruiting children aged below 16 years to do casual labour on the mines contrary to the law."

Given Chinese officials' penchant for painting rosy economic pictures, it is something of a big deal when a state-backed institution such as the China Iron and Steel Association makes such a bearish call.

London's Sunday Times reports Anglo American is close to a deal to hand over a share in the Los Bronces copper project to Chile's Codelco at "a discount of several billion dollars" some time this week. If the report is correct it would provide further ammunition to those calling for Anglo CEO Cynthia Carroll's head.

The Lonmin violence is "a strike by the poor against the state and the haves" says analyst.