Strike threat at world’s only 1 million tonne copper mine

In 2011, during the peak of the so-called “mining boom”, the sector was worth nearly US$2.5 trillion.

Good management can attract the right investors and add value regardless of the market.

Asked what he will do during his one-year suspension, Callaghan says he has no "freaking clue."

"Finding mines is a high-risk business. In addtion to the geological risk are the political risk, the metal price risk, the mine financing risk and the timid, incompetent management risk. Success is the summation of a list of well-evaluated risks."

The money is the first payment in a $3 billion aid plan authorized under a new funding mechanism, designed to avoid a slump in production.

The government is planning to open up new mining areas for gold and copper exploration.

The number of registered artisanal miners, or barrequeros, inside Colombia now top 100,000 and production should keep rising.

Vancouver firm drops 12% after announcing a bought deal with bankers at discount followed up by a gold-silver-copper streaming deal with Yamana.

If you add patience to your portfolio management strategy, holding discounted oil and gas and metals mining stocks is one way to leverage the price equilibrium that will come when China's growth hits the market.