Swiss seize bank accounts amid probe linked to Rio Tinto Mongolia mine

The gold-rich African nation of Tanzania has introduced a 30% corporate tax for mining companies in operation for more than five years, stating that the move is justified by rising precious metal prices on the international market.

Gold equity funds have posted a baneful performance in the past year despite firm gold prices and rich returns from gold ETF's.

Platinum's poor performance relative to gold of late may be due to its lack of status as a safe-haven investment and a credible means of storing value.

BHP's board was to make a decision on the $30 billion project this year, but a newspaper report over the weekend said a decision will not be made until 2014 and BHP's uranium division "confirmed the deferral and said a recruitment freeze was now in place".

The Royal Bafokeng nation, who control vast parts of the platinum belt in the north west province of South Africa warned that earnings at its main investment vehicle could be down by between 52% and 62% over the first six months of 2012.

A coal mining permit issued in Alaska 21 years ago — but not utilized until recently — has been ruled as no longer valid by a US federal agency because the Alaska DNR “erroneously transferred and renewed invalid permits."

AngloGold, the number one gold miner on the continent, said "it was treating the death as an occupational accident pending an inspection scheduled for Monday."

Examples: Worldwide orders for dry-bulk vessels dropped 49% to 9.8 million deadweight  tons in the first half of 2012. The monthly index of new-ship prices in China is now at its lowest point since March 2004.

Visual Capitalist has done it again! This time they answer the question 'how rare are 1 million+ oz gold deposits?'