MINING.COM MINUTE: Biggest stories of the week

Shares were up more than 5% after the firm posted higher output across all divisions, except for copper, and said market conditions for its diamond business had improved.

Brazil's suspended iron ore producer Samarco misses another payment on its $3.8 billion debt as it struggles to stay afloat following deadly dam burst.

While quarterly earnings beat analysts expectations, revenue fell short of estimates and CAT also lowered its full-year guidance.

The world’s largest heavy machinery maker has logged a 18% drop in global sales of machinery for the three-month period ended in September.

He envisions people living in big glass-carbon fiber domes on the surface, with additional areas mined out below the surface by robots for "industrial" uses.

If convicted, accused executives could face sentences of between 12 and 30 years in prison.

Smaller rival Fortescue Metals went the opposite way — it increased iron ore exports by 5% in the Sep. quarter.

BMI predicts that in 2017 nickel prices will start to moderately decline, as the global market moves into 27.2 thousand tonnes surplus.

He said he had intended to announce his retirement last year but chose to stay on while BHP dealt with the aftermath of the Samarco mine disaster in Brazil.