A report by Stratum and Digbee shows that gender is considered the “least important” social priority for mining companies over the next two years.

Lithium prices, expected to stay at record highs, have the world’s second-biggest miner actively looking for lithium acquisitions.

Martin Preece, who runs the company’s South Deep gold mine in South Africa, will take on the role of interim CEO while the board searches for a new boss.

The miner is said to be at the centre of a bidding war between Jiangxi, China’s largest copper miner on the one side, and a possible BHP-Newcrest alliance on the other.

Panama’s Chamber of Commerce expressed concern over the “erratic turn” the negotiations between the government and First Quantum Mineral have taken.

A PwC Australia report says that increasing the in-country production of silicon is the first step for Australia to develop its own capability and capacity in the solar cell supply chain.

Gold in objects from Troy, Poliochni and Ur in Mesopotamia have the same geographic origin and were traded over great distances.

Remoteness, regulatory sclerosis still pose barriers to mine development in Canada, the federal government says.

The copper-gold mine would be one of the largest foreign investments in Pakistan and one of Barrick’s key projects for this decade.