Rio cautious on outlook as earnings halve

Three miners have been trapped underground as as a result of a landslide that occurred at a coal mine in Russia's republic of Komi on Saturday, emergencies services said. Seventy miners out of the 73 who were working at the Severnaya mine when the landslide occurred at around 6 pm local time (14:00 GMT) during a shift change. The three trapped miners are alive, an emergencies services official said. "Rescuers have established connection with one of the trapped miners," he said. "We know for sure that he is alive. He made it clear by rapping that his two colleagues are also alive."

Gloucester Coal has completed two acquisitions designed to create a leading Australian coal miner worth about $2 billion. Gloucester said it had completed the purchase of Donaldson Coal Holdings, which owns three NSW coal mines, from Asian commodities trader Noble Group.

A Canadian coal junior has teamed up with one of the world's largest steel producers to move the Mount Klappan Metallurgical Coal Project in northern British Columbia into production. Fortune Minerals said yesterday that it has formed a joint venture with POSCO Klappan Coal Ltd. and POSCO Canada Ltd. (POSCAN) — a subsidiary of South Korean steelmaking giant POSCO.

Richard Burton appeared on Dick Cavett's show in 1980 and told the story about his family of Welsh coal miners. Listen to a riveting history about those who loved the mines and what that work cost them.

CONSOL Energy Inc. (NYSE: CNX), updates on second quarter 2011 operations. From the release: "CONSOL Energy's Coal Division reports total coal production of 15.4 million tons for the quarter, including 1.4 million tons of low-vol metallurgical coal

Industrial action at BHP Billiton Limited's (ASX:BHP) Queensland mines is heating up as workers fight for more job security and pay rises. According to Fairfax Media more than 400 BHP workers have started strikes at the global miner’s coking coal mines after failed talks between the company and its employees.

Mining equipment maker Joy Global, Inc. (JOYG: News ) is close to acquiring Chinese coal-mining equipment maker International Mining Machinery Ltd. (ICMHF.PK), according to Bloomberg on Wednesday.

An Australian coal company at loggerheads with a Brazilian-based partner over a central Queensland mine will seek damages in the Federal Court.

Strikes are looming in South Africa's gold and platinum sectors which could threaten global supplies at a time when commodity prices are red hot. South Africa's powerful National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) said on Wednesday wage talks with the country's main gold miners were deadlocked and it was preparing for a strike.