Iron ore prices keep falling despite a decrease in China’s inventories

Kazakh mining group ENRC (ENRC.L) said underlying profit more than doubled, on record production and demand recovery for its products, and that the global economic outlook is still improving. Underlying EBITDA jumped 118 percent to $3.19 billion, in line with the consensus, as revenue rose 72 percent to $6.60 billion.

Copper and iron ore prices should remain high in the near future because of additional demand for reconstruction in Japan after a devastating earthquake and tsunami, Ivanhoe Mines Ltd Chief Executive Robert Friedland said. The earthquake in northeastern Japan destroyed thousands of homes, levelled buildings and bridges and caused damage estimated at up to $308 billion, according to the Nikkei newspaper.

The W. Australian junior has applied to Australia’s Takeovers Panel to challenge the validity of Regent Pacific’s decision to terminate a takeover […]

Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal Industries Ltd submit draft merger proposal Tokyo (Reuters) - Nippon Steel Corp, the world's fourth-biggest steelmaker, and Sumitomo Metal Industries Ltd submitted a draft proposal for their planned merger to Japan's

Australian mining firm Sundance Resources said on Thursday recent finds at its Mbalam iron ore project in Cameroon had more than doubled the amount of indicated resources in the area.

Two mining companies announced Thursday that their respective dealings with Japanese smelters and steel manufacturers have not been impacted by the devastating Japanese earthquake and tsunami at this time.

Global miner Rio Tinto warned that metals demand could fall in the near term and prices could be volatile in the medium term due to economic imbalances, but the long term growth outlook remained strong.

Sumitomo Metal Industries Ltd Japan's third-biggest steelmaker, said it had no plan to declare force majeure on input deliveries. The company has suspended operations of the two giant blast furnaces at its mainstay Kashima plant in Ibaraki prefecture after the quake and tsunami.

Altius Minerals made a profit of $69.3 million, or $2.38 per share, in the three months ending January 31 — the Canadian iron ore producer's third quarter. That compares to a $102,000 loss in the same period last year. Quarterly revenues were 1.1 million versus $912,000 for the previous year's Q3. Altius also gained $84.6 million after transferring its 100% interest in the Kami iron ore property to Alderon Resources Corp. in exchange for 32.3 million shares of Alderon.