It was a great first quarter for battery material financings

Shareholders will celebrate as lower supply boosts prices and profits, but consumers of metal and minerals will be hard hit.

The ship operated by Russian mining company Polymetal with 700 tonnes of gold ore on board went missing last week.

After months of difficulties, Rio Tinto’s (LON:RIO) flagship Mongolian copper-gold mine, Oyu Tolgoi, will start producing early next year as the giant miner has finally solved the issue of power supply from next-door China.

While the harmful effects of the slumping global economy over junior miners are nothing new, companies that have seen their value down on the TSX Venture Exchange this year and so experienced more difficulties raising cash, may soon see a few glimmers of hope.

Australian gold company Northern Star Resources (ASX:NST) is offering a $200,000 bonus to any oncologist willing to spend two years close to the mine area providing radiation therapy to children with cancer.

Mining executives have given a clear indication that they plan to slash capital spending and reduce supply in order to improve shareholder returns at the expense of consumers.

As rumors fly that leading Western economies have exhausted their gold hoards, China has become the world's biggest gold producer while also discretely accumulating bullion reserves.

The CEO of AngloGold Ashanti said the company is considering the creation of separate regional entities in South Africa, Colombia and Australia via the spin-off of assets in order to enhance shareholder value and better compete against local rivals such as Newcrest Mining.

Record high prices and a number of other issues are set to diminish Indian gold demand during its traditional peak season.