Bacteria could be used to mine iron in space

The country’s legislators approved this week a ruling that declares the region surrounding the mine a national park, affecting Glencore's ability to expand it.

Iron ore is down 34% this year over China fears, soft demand and surging supply. The copper market is equally exposed, but has so far defied fundamentals.

Around 15,000 of the total 55,000 licences in effect risk fines and even losing all privileges over the land.

The iron ore-rich state is the latest of Australia's debt-laden regional governments to announce a selloff of state-owned infrastructure.

If the steel-making material loses another $2 a tonne, it will be the lowest since October 2009.

Chinese backers are now behind one-third of all Peru’s new mining investments by value.

There’s a death match among iron ore producers, with the big Australian miners and Brazil's Vale increasing pressure on their high-cost Chinese rivals.

Spot falls to $88.90 a tonne as iron ore price suffers weakest quarter since 2009.

In a letter to China's ambassador to Australia, Clive Palmer expressed regret for "any insult to the Chinese people caused by any of the language" he used.