Bulgaria coal miners stay underground to protest layoffs, delayed salaries

The British Geological Survey (BGS) on Wednesday published the latest list of the 52 elements, minerals and metals most at risk of supply disruption because global production is concentrated in a few countries, many with unstable governments. Surprisingly rare earths used in green technology and defence do not top the list but comes in at number five. Antimony, extracted mainly from stibnite (pictured), widely used for fireproofing is most at risk. The platinum group metals (auto catalysts) hold the second spot while niobium used in touch screens and scanners and tungsten for cutting tools are also at risk of supply disruption as a result of increased competition among the world's growing economies, political instability, resource nationalism, along with events such as strikes and accidents. China is the number one producer of 50% of the 52 chemicals on the list and produces 75% of the world's antimony.

Hanjin Shipping signed a 15-year consecutive voyage contract on Wednesday with Korea Southern Power (Kospo) to provide two capesize vessels for the transportation of soft coal.

Strong interest in the Mongolian resource sector has provided shareholders in Hunnu Coal a 800% gain in only 18 months. Thailand's Banpu announced Tuesday it is taking over the ASX-listed junior for $400 million or $1.80/share – Hunnu went public in February 2010 at 20c. Hunnu may be the first of many firms with Mongolian coal assets to attract bidders with Ivanhoe Mines' SouthGobi and TSX-V junior Prophecy Coal talked about as likely targets and a way in for smaller investors who are not be able to participate in Tavan Tolgoi's $3 billion IPO slated for next year.

China plans to dramatically consolidate the number of mines in its country, according to Caterpillar (NYSE:CAT) and a study by MCCM. And China also wants its mines to be a lot more productive. Caterpillar released the results of a study in August. In 2004 China had 25,000 operating mines. By the end of 2013 China wants to get that number down to 4,000 mines. A minimum production of 300,000 tonnes per annum will be required for mine approval.

The Australian reports BHP Mitsubishi's decision to bypass a thoroughly resistant troika of unions by seeking a direct employee ballot on a new three-year enterprise agreement takes the world's number one miner into deeply uncharted industrial relations waters. The move comes after nine months of fruitless negotiations and 11 different offers – including annual pay rises of 5% and a $15,000 bonus – all of which were rejected by the unions which will now resume strikes. The six mines operated by BHP Mistubishi have a combined output capacity of more than 58 million tonnes per year of mostly metallurgical coal, representing about a fifth of annual global trade.

The United States boasts over 260 billion short tons of recoverable coal reserves, or roughly 28% of the planet’s total coal reserves, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Based on these estimates, the EIA concludes that the U.S. will not exhaust its recoverable coal reserves at current mining levels for 222 years.

Ukraine always has been and always will be a reliable partner for transit of energy to Europe, stated the Ukrainian Minister of Energy and Coal Industry Yuriy Boyko during his meeting with the representatives of the foreign diplomatic corps in Ukraine. "Ukraine has demonstrated its commitment to integration with the European Union in the energy sector by becoming a full member of the Energy Community and carrying out comprehensive work to bring its energy sector in accordance with European requirements," stressed the Ukrainian energy minister.

Amid dire predictions about job losses and the drying up of investment in the sector due to a proposed carbon tax come more bad news for Australia's coal miners. Platts reports New South Wales plans to increase the royalties it receives from coal companies to offset some $400 million in extra costs to the state's coal-fired electricity generators due to the very same federal government carbon levy. Around 95% of NSW's royalty revenue comes from coal mines where rates currently top out at 8.2% of the value of production and is forecast to rise to $2.1 billion in the year ending June 2013 after the hikes come into effect.

Australians believe that the mining industry is much larger than it actually is, according to a study by the Australian Institute. In the study released on Thursday, Australians were asked to estimate what percentage of the nations workers are employed by the mining industry. The average response was around 16 per cent, when according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) the actual figure is 1.9 per cent. The survey also found Australians believe that mining accounts for more than one third (35%) of economic activity. However, ABS figures show that the mining industry accounts for around 9.2 per cent of GDP.