Coal mine crackdown ignites land grab fears

Officials in China’s Shanxi province face a battle with mine owners who are accusing the government of orchestrating a land grab of private assets for miserly compensation

• Taxpayers face a generation of pain
• Bankers contemplate life under state rule

Rio Tinto bolstered by US coal sale

Gobal mining company that faced huge debt burden a year ago continues recapitalisation drive and nets $741m by spinning off US coal assets

Polyus fails to sell 5 per cent stake

Russia’s top gold miner, said on Friday its two main owners had decided not to sell a 5 per cent stake in the company ‘due to market conditions’

Royal Mint cashes in as gold market coins it

Production of gold coins has been dramatically ramped up as demand for the precious metal continues to surge

China coal mine death toll reaches 104

Relatives of the victims of a gas blast at a coal mine have scuffled with police and demanded answers from the owners as state media put the number of dead at 104

Lex: Rio / BHP

Rhetoric on both sides suggests the joint venture is still on, but if resolve were weakening in the Rio camp, it would be entirely understandable

BHP chief says big mining will meet demand

Big mining houses have the capacity to meet rising demand for fuels and ores, says Marius Kloppers, downplaying fears by industrialising nations over ‘resources security’

Three arrested in Vedanta plant deaths probe

Indian police arrest an executive and two other officials from the Indian subsidiary of Vedanta for alleged negligence in connection with the collapse of a power plant chimney that killed 41 people