Vedanta Resources said it has repaid $800 million worth of loans, another move that could assuage concerns about its liquidity.

There will also be discussions on other bills regarding the minimum wage and the mining royalty.

Chinese operations shut for maintenance and plants in North America slowed down.

Seabed mining is allowed in New Zealand but it has to be approved by the Environmental Protection Agency.

Gains, however, were subdued as investors worried about demand in China.

The incoming chair of Vale's newly created base metals business said he wants to focus on margins and marketing.

Pressure was coming from "parts of the US government," chair Dominic Barton said.