Cecilia Jamasmie , Senior Editor

Diversified miner BHP Billiton (NYSE:RIO) today became the third iron giant to join the new China Beijing Metals Exchange (CBMX), only a few days after competitors Vale (NYSE:VALE) and Rio Tinto (NYSE:RIO) did the same.

Brazilian mining giant Vale has taken the concept of mining diversification to a new level by announcing that it will start raising fish by its Sudbury, Canada, location.

Gemcom Software International Inc., the largest global supplier of mining software solutions, today announced that Dave Osborn has been appointed managing director for the company’s Africa business unit, providing strategic leadership for the region’s market-leading and fast-growing operations.

Canadian mining company Quaterra Alaska and county supervisors in northern Arizona have filed a lawsuit against the US government, aiming to reverse a federal 20-year closure of one million acres of uranium-rich public lands located near the Grand Canyon.

A rare nine-carat pink diamond ring belonging to philanthropist and heiress, Huguette Clark, sold for $15 million at a Christie's auction.

Chile's state-owned mining company Codelco, the world's largest copper producer London-based Anglo American (LSE: AAL) should try reaching a negotiated solution to the ongoing dispute about Codelco’s stake in Anglo’s Sur unit, said British ambassador to Chile, Jon Benjamin.

Brazil's aluminum output in March went up 3.7% to 125,000 tonnes, according to the national aluminum association, Abal.

The world’s largest refined platinum producer Anglo American Platinum (Amplats, AGPPY) says it will hit its full-year production target for 2012, despite a severe fall in production in the first quarter of this year.

Anglo-Australian mining giant Rio Tinto tightened its grip on Ivanhoe Mines as part of a $3.3 billion financing deal announced this morning, leading to the resignation of chief executive and founder Robert Friedland.

Precious metals miner Fresnillo (LON:FRES), the largest silver producer, reported its first-quarter silver production was in line with expectations, while it said higher-than-expected gold output, owing to the start up of its new Noche Buena mine.