Peabody announces plan to emerge from bankruptcy

The closures and the dearth of new builds are as much a function of new environmental impact laws as it is of the US gas boom, which has sent natural gas prices to decade lows.

Why? For mining the stuff for making China.

Most Chinese takeovers in the resource sector do not pose a threat to national security, says the author of a new report on Chinese investment in Canada.

"Shenhua is the most competitive bidder for the project given its technology, transport infrastructure, access to the Chinese market and the backing of the Chinese government," Shenhua CEO Ling Wen told reporters.

Goldsource Mines shot up 28% today on news that it has increased indicated coal resources at its Border Coal Project by 48%.

A legal clash between Brazilian mining giant Vale (NYX:VALE) and Australia's Aquila Resources (ASX: AQA) has taken a step towards resolution this morning after the companies announced they’ve reached an agreement on coal shipments from their co-owned Isaac Plains mine in Queensland.

Mining has all the elements that make for a good movie: long odds, adventure, conflict, danger, amazing natural scenery, and heroes and villains.

Chinese firms have been snapping up copper, uranium, iron ore and coking coal assets around the world, but have yet to make a big splash in nickel.

Coal Rush, a documentary running next week at the Atlanta Film Festival, tells the story of a 7-year crusade by US attorney Kevin Thompson, along with other attorneys, advocates and affected residents, to halt the injection of coal slurry into the Appalachian mountains by now-defunct coal miner Massey Energy.