Chinese investors are turning their focus to emerging economies as they look to expand their demand for commodities and switching away from Australia and Canada, which are getting too expensive.

India is hoping to bury the hatchet with its historical rival Pakistan, at least enough for both sides to benefit from a massive iron ore deposit in Afghanistan.

A clash over infrastructure assets is shaping up in northern Quebec, pitting the interests of two corporate titans against a group of junior miners.

“Sentiment towards gold is as low as it has been for many years, possibly since the rally started. ... For virtually the first time this cycle, buying gold is a contrarian trade.”

"Wu's death penalty is a setback for the cause of reform in China. Judging from this case, how far are we from the market economy? At least 300 years."

Silver Wheaton Corp. (SLW.TO) announced its audited results for the fourth quarter and year ended December 31, 2011. It also announced that its Board of Directors has declared its first quarterly cash dividend payment for 2012 of US$0.09 per common share.

Coal Rush, a documentary running next week at the Atlanta Film Festival, tells the story of a 7-year crusade by US attorney Kevin Thompson, along with other attorneys, advocates and affected residents, to halt the injection of coal slurry into the Appalachian mountains by now-defunct coal miner Massey Energy.

EU regulators are stepping up scrutiny of the mooted $90 billion merger of the commodities trader and coal giant and the whole vetting process could take until early 2013. That is if the deal goes ahead at all.

The Tata Group, India's largest conglomerate, is said to be investigating a joint venture with South African coal producer Increase Coal.