Codelco profits surge but 2012 output likely to dip

Rolling back environmental regulations and speeding up permitting for oil and gas as well as mining projects could put pressure on Canada to do the same. 

Silicon can hold 10 times as many lithium ions by weight as graphite, but developing the battery technology to scale sustainably has met its share of challenges. 

BHP detailed to investors this week plans to spend $10.7 billion to $14.7 billion within about 10 years.

The French miner was this year given a sales quota by the Asian nation that was 29% less than it expected.