Cecilia Jamasmie , Senior Editor

Billions of dollars in joint venture projects with partner Total E&P Canada will be delayed, said Suncor Energy’s new chief executive Steve Williams on Wednesday, as both companies are analyzing alternatives to improve their profitability.

Escalating costs and economic instability may be the two main reasons why mining companies worldwide are acquiring existing projects instead of starting their own, shows the latest report from global firm Ernst & Young.

Caterpillar Inc (NYSE:CAT), the world's largest earth-moving equipment maker, raised its 2012 profit forecast on Wednesday based on its quarterly profit report, which beat by far most of Wall Street's gloomy outlooks.

The Hong Kong-listed miner said on Wednesday that the start of production at Martabe marked a significant milestone for the company.

Botswana Diamonds has recovered a 2-carat, low value, near gem quality stone, which confirms the diamondiferous potential of the deposit.

London-based Avocet Mining Plc (LON:AVM) has named David Cather as its new chief executive,to replace Brett Richards, who resigned after running the West Africa-focused gold producer for two years.

In an effort to stimulate mining exploration in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia, the local government has started offering grants of up to $100,000 to mineral prospectors and exploration companies.

Al Jazeera is reporting that more than 400 children have died from lead poisoning in the past two years in the Zamfara State of Nigeria as a result of artisanal gold mining.

Chinese producer of bauxite Bosai Minerals Group halted its operations in Guyana on Friday due to violent protests against the miner that left at least three deaths on Wednesday, said the President Donald Ramotar.

An Idaho court has ordered Canadian Atlanta Gold Corp (TSX:ATG) to pay a bulky $2 million fine for its continuing failure to stop arsenic and iron from flowing into a tributary of the Boise River system.