Last standing underground coal mine in the UK to close next month

Facing criminal and civil penalties over the Upper Big Branch Mine disaster, Alpha Natural Resources (NYSE:ANR) will pay $200 million to settle a suit leveled by the U.S. Attorney in Charleston, West Virigina.

Australia-based Greenland Minerals and Energy Ltd (GME) stocks went up 10 per cent on the ASX from 58 cents to 64 cents on Monday, after the company announced it could start producing uranium on its Kvanefjeld property in Greenland.

U3O8 Corp. (TSX VENTURE:UWE), a Canadian-based company focused on exploration and resource expansion of uranium and green commodities in South America, has signed a letter of intent with U3O8 Limited ("UTO"), an Australian uranium exploration company, to form a joint venture to explore U3O8 Corp's Sierra Cuadrada Project in Chubut Province, Argentina

Anglo American said on Tuesday its board had approved the $1.7 billion Grosvenor metallurgical coal project in Queensland, Australia, which is expected to produce five million tonnes per year over a projected life of 26 years. The London-based diversified miner said it plans to triple production of met coal in Australia over the next 8 years.

Investment gurus Jim Rogers and Marc Faber in recent interviews seem to agree on the dynamics in the gold market. Rogers says he's not selling his gold and Faber says there is no bubble. But that doesn't mean bullion is not still in a correction phase.

Tata Motors, India’s market leader in commercial vehicles and the world’s fourth largest truck manufacturer, has launched the new TATA Prima 3138.K 8X4 tipper equipped with an Allison 4430R transmission at the 6th International Construction Equipment and Construction Technology Trade Fair (EXCON) 2011 in Bengaluru, which is organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry. The company states that the tipper model is ideal for carrying overburden in coal, iron ore, limestone and other applications involved in the heavy mining industry.

Speaking in an interview with MiningWeekly, CEO Mark Bristow said he expected deal making in the junior gold space to continue, as funding sources dry up.

BusinessLive reports Gold Fields, the world's fourth largest gold producer, is not averse to merger and acquisition activity but will not rely on it, said CEO Nick Holland on Monday. The company, which continues to target five million ounces in development or production by 2015, has spent the last two years aggressively growing its production.

CBC News reports a British Columbia First Nation has announced it's backing the Northern Gateway pipeline project to ship oil sands crude to the West Coast, despite fierce opposition from dozens of other groups in the area.