Emmerson moves forward with Africa’s hottest new potash project

We are on the precipice of a food fight among 7 billion people, and potash will be right at the center of it.

The German fertilizer producer blamed weak prices, production outages and scarce sales for the poor results.

It will raise its annual exploration spending by 29%, allocating nearly all its $900 million budget to finding new copper and oil deposits in the fiscal year beginning next month.

Gold's nearly $100 jump early on and copper's 4.5% meltdown split mining investors' Brexit fortunes.

Belarus has said it might cooperate with Uralkali, in the first sign the two sides might work together since the Russian potash producer broke off their business alliance in 2013.

Combined these mining and metal giants are worth $700 billion with operations in every corner of the world.

Studies underway at Boulby Underground Laboratory, the UK's deep underground science facility, include the analyses of cosmic rays and climate, as well as astrobiology and life in extreme environments.

A cash-and-stock deal is said to be the favourite option at this point, though the parties are also discussing other alternatives.

First time a country partners with privates to boost the development of the industry.