Mining and processing rare earths is a tricky business. Processing the materials is costly, and the supply of the 17 elements used in manufacturing everything from smart phones to electric cars and missile guidance systems is pretty much sewn up by China, which has 95% of the production.

Despite some price retracing in 2011, the copper physical market fundamentals remain strong, with liquid stocks near an all-time low.

Malaysian residents opposed to a rare earths processing facility have launched a legal challenged that threatens to delay the project put forward by Australia's Lynas Corp.

The job of putting up the proposed hybrid wind farm at Diavik Diamond Mine has begun. Trucks are beginning to take the blades for the windmills and its other components along the Tibbitt to Contwoyto Winter Road to the mine.

During the first eleven months of 2011, global usage grew by only 2.7% over 2010, but accelerated in October-November to 12% due to an jump of 38% in China.

Gold's recent move higher to within sight of $1,800 an ounce for the first time since September is tracking that of oil which is trading at a nine-month high on tensions between the West and Iran. Gold futures have gained $185/oz so far this year.

India's Power Minister says that nuclear power will add 63,000 MW of capacity, a fourteen fold increase, to his country over the next 20 years.

Coeur d'Alene Mines Corp. broke production and sales records in 2011.

Nearly 13.7 billion years ago, the universe was made of only hydrogen, helium and traces of lithium — byproducts of the Big Bang. Some 300 million years later, the very first stars emerged, creating additional chemical elements throughout the universe. Since then, giant stellar explosions, or supernovas, have given rise to carbon, oxygen, iron and the rest of the 94 naturally occurring elements of the periodic table.