India iron ore exports on pace for 25% decline in 2020

Wages were too high?

State prosecutor for the region says the companies were negligent and he has opened an investigation.

Analysts estimate the accident is likely to keep the the Samarco iron ore mine shut until financial 2019, with clean-up costs exceeding US$1 billion.

World's top iron ore miner saves $2.6 billion on giant expansion bringing 90 million tonnes of ultra-cheap ore to markets in little over a year's time.

Images of widespread damage.

Premiums for lump ore which let steelmakers lower pollution and cut costs have shrunk from $20 to just $3 a tonne.

Cliffs CEO heaps scorn on Rio Tinto and BHP living in "an imaginary world" as iron ore falls to second lowest spot price on record.

The stock ignored news from Zambia where President Edgar Lungu said he would not allow the firm to lay off workers at its Mopani Copper Mine, as it mothballs it for 18 months.

The Gold Report reached out to experts who have been around through enough cycles to know and asked for the clues they watch that an acquisition might be imminent