MINING.COM MINUTE: Biggest stories of the week

The agency is urging mining companies to put safety first and avoid erecting dams using methods that are known to be high risk.

Price of iron ore declines ahead of Chinese winter steel output cuts, widening Kobe Steel scandal.

"[W]e expect growth in China to ease modestly over the short-term, as monetary policy tightens and housing and automotive markets soften," Mackenzie said.

Iron ore production rose 3.3% compared with the same period last year to hit a fresh quarterly record of 95.1 million tonnes.

Move is part of a wider review of low performing assets after new Chief Executive Fabio Schvartsman took charge in June.

Fire shrinks Mt Whaleback iron ore production, but output at world's largest copper mine Escondida in Chile jumps 23%.

Delayed ramp-up at Escondida, mine sequencing at Kennecott.

Despite new report predicting zero steel demand growth in top consumer China.

Precious metals miner said its platinum group metals (PGM) operations had delivered "solid operational results" in the first-half of 2017, prompting an upward revision to its 2017 production forecast and a downward revision to guided costs.