Moody’s slashes outlook for North American coal

The sale would put an end to Goldman’s rocky involvement in raw-materials production.

The failed deal was supposed to allow Turquoise Hill to finally break ties with the Mongolian coal miner that was once worth over $2.4 billion.

If the miner buys any assets this year, it would be Rio's first acquisition in about three years.

Only primary producers like Peabody will be excluded from investment portfolio so a BHP or Glencore could still make the grade. Met coal also fine.

Minerals are the bedrock of the manufacturing industry.

Chief executive Ivan Glasenberg said growing demand for cheap energy will secure demand for coal.

But the miner revised down its 2015 U.S. iron ore sales and production volume estimate to 20.5 million tons, from its previous guidance for 22 million tons

"You don’t need to be all that warm when you’re born and raised in Linton, Ind., and working in a coal mine. They weren’t hiring coal miners on the basis of their personalities."

After five consecutive months of decline, global mining exploration began showing signs of life in March, particularly in the gold sector, a new report shows.