The news comes barely a day after the miner announced it was scrapping the sale of its Nickel West division.

Alberta, which derives a quarter of its economy from the oil sands and other energy resources, is poised to grow at the slowest pace in five years as crude prices slump.

The move will cut the miner's output by 5 million tonnes — 2.5% of Australia's forecast 2014 thermal coal exports — and force about 8,000 workers to take a leave.

Mining companies today face a complexity of problems: spiraling costs, government intervention, deepening pits, lower ore grades, lack of community trust, and declining productivity are just some of the issues.

Chinese steel mills restart production but ore demand remains modest.

Sandvik Fire Suppression has announced the launch of Eclipse™, a world-first environmentally friendly fluorine-free fire suppression foam for mobile equipment, and which rapidly biodegrades – unlike conventional foams that can persist in the environment for thousands of years after discharge.

Kyrgyz government moves to revoke Stans Energy's licence for rare earth mine and plant that was the main global source of heavy REEs during the Soviet era.

Decline was in line with S&P/TSX Composite index, which also plummeted 15% during the quarter.

Patient and steadfast uranium investors were given an early Christmas present last week when the Japanese community of Satsumasendai announced approval of the restart of the Sendai nuclear power-plant, the first restart to be approved in Japan since the 2011 Fukushima disaster.