Poland may stop producing coal until at least 2018

Patriot Coal was beaten down more than 12% on Friday after announcing it will cut production of coking coal due to weakening global demand.

Mark Hislop, editor of the Calgary Beacon, poses the question many in the oilsands are asking these days as the future of both the Keystone XL pipeline and the Northern Gateway project continue to lack certainty.

Eighty percent of gold company executives expect gold to continue rising in 2012 and peak at $2,000, according to the results of a new survey by PwC.

AFP reports about 500 protesters blocked a coal train line in Mozambique in a dispute with Vale over housing.

Oilsands Quest Inc. (NYSE Amex: BQI) ("Oilsands Quest," "OQI" or "the Company") has requested and obtained approval from the Alberta Court of Queen's Bench (the "Court") to conduct a process to solicit offers to acquire, restructure or recapitalize the Company (the "Solicitation Process"). The Company is also pursuing Debtor-in-Possession financing to provide liquidity as it conducts the Solicitation Process.

US Labor Department figures released on Wednesday show the country's mining sector added more jobs in 2011 than at any other period since the early 1980s.

The richest woman in the world, Gina Rinehart, on Tuesday handed her daughter Ginia (sic) directorships of three companies, including Hancock Prospecting which controls her $10 billion empire. Ginia who is 25 years old is the only one of Rinehart's four children who are not currently suing her in court in a bitter dispute over control of the family fortune.

Hedge fund genius John Paulson had the worst year of his career in 2011. The FT wonders if he will start dumping gold onto the market in a dash for cash.

Hard Assets Investor reports precious metals ETFs enjoyed solid $5.9 billion inflows last year that brought total assets in the sector to just under $98.5 billion; a figure that represents just under two-thirds of all exchange-traded products including energy and agriculture.