Cecilia Jamasmie , Senior Editor

Two major unions of the Canadian province of British Columbia have applied to have the Federal Court overturn a decision to allow about 200 foreign workers work at HD Mining Ltd.’s planned Murray River underground coal mine near Tumbler Ridge.

Sri Lanka's diamond-swallowing story from early September continues to be an unsolved mystery, but the Chinese man who swallowed a fake diamond in a daring bluff that allowed an accomplice to get away with a real stone pleaded guilty Monday.

The company is requesting the Canadian city of Sudbury to allow the housing of hundreds of temporary construction workers at its mine, mill and smelter sites in the community.

After months of difficulties, Rio Tinto’s (LON:RIO) flagship Mongolian copper-gold mine, Oyu Tolgoi, will start producing early next year as the giant miner has finally solved the issue of power supply from next-door China.

While the harmful effects of the slumping global economy over junior miners are nothing new, companies that have seen their value down on the TSX Venture Exchange this year and so experienced more difficulties raising cash, may soon see a few glimmers of hope.

A document obtained from Environment Canada confirmed Monday what scientists from the University of Alberta published in 2010: that there is mounting evidence of contaminants in the snow and even in precipitation close to oil sands facilities.

Australian gold company Northern Star Resources (ASX:NST) is offering a $200,000 bonus to any oncologist willing to spend two years close to the mine area providing radiation therapy to children with cancer.

A private government memorandum obtained by Canada’s CBC shows that Alberta’s oil sands, one of the country’s key economy engines, could soon get stalled due to mounting developing costs and labour shortages.

Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos presented Friday a package of measures, including a proposed bill before congress, aimed to making illegal mining a crime punished by the country’s Penal Code.

Canada's Inmet Mining Corp (TSX:IMN) posted a 19% rise in third-quarter profit, as copper production and prices improved.