Diamond producer De Beers expects global demand growth for rough diamonds to set a new record this year on the exceptionally strong performance of its key US market and robust demand in China and India, the head of the company’s distribution arm said. Despite global volatility and concerns that the global economy is sliding towards another financial crisis, demand for diamonds was unlikely to be badly impacted because of its safe-haven appeal, Diamond Trading Co (DTC) Chief Executive Varda Shine told Reuters in an interview on Monday.

Gold investment demand in China is likely to top a record 200 metric tons this year, the World Gold Council said. The country’s investment demand surged 70 percent in 2010 to an all-time high of 187 tons, said Albert Cheng, the Far East managing director at the World Gold Council. China’s “investment demand has picked up exponentially,” Cheng said yesterday in an interview in Montreal. “The financial crisis has triggered people to be cautious of anything they don’t understand,” boosting demand for bullion as an alternative asset.

Australia cut its forecast for coking coal production in fiscal 2012 as recovery from natural disasters takes longer than expected but lifted its projection for iron ore production a touch.

Astur Gold's Salave gold project in northern Spain got a boost last week when National Bank initiated coverage on the Vancouver-based junior explorer.

The Indian state of Goa is looking to technology as a way to prevent the illegal transport of iron ore. The Times of India reports that the Goa government is examining the possibility of installing radio frequency identification (RFID) tags on mining trucks to track the vehicle's movement carrying iron ore, as a part of the measures to curb transportation of illegal iron ore in the state.

(Reuters) - Shares of Canadian base metal miners tumbled on Monday as copper prices slid to their lowest level this year on economic jitters and the lingering threat of a Greek default.

Reuters reports BHP Billiton will face work stoppages at all its Queensland, Australia coal mine operations next week ahead of an employee vote on a contract, a workers union said on Monday. The world's largest miner has reached an impasse with the Construction Forestry Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU) over wages and job security provisions; the union approved work stoppages at mines operated by the BHP Billiton- Mitsubishi Alliance (BMA) in June.

With the price of silver near 30-year highs, analysts and investors are beginning to question the underperformance of silver mining and streaming stocks.

Stillwater Mining Company (TSX:SWC.U) is offering $300 million in senior notes to help fund its acquisition of Peregrine Metals Ltd., the company announced today. Stillwater, the only platinum and palladium producer in the U.S., bought Peregrine Metals in July for US$487.1 million.