Australia’s mining project pipeline dwarfs other countries

Heavy rains and a prolonged strike at its Queensland coal mines have taken their toll on the world's biggest miner.

The Canadian government followed through on last month's budget promise to streamline environmental reviews of resource projects with a plan for "responsible resource development."

The International Monetary Fund increased its outlook for the world's economy on Tuesday, saying it expects global GDP to expand by 3.5 per cent this year.

Endeavour Silver is paying a quarter-billion dollars for two Mexican mining properties owned by AuRico Gold (TSX:AUQ). Endeavour (TSX:EDR) said yesterday it will spend up to $250 million for AuRico's El Cubo silver-gold mine in Guanajuato state, and the Guadalupe y Calvo silver-gold exploration project in the state of Chihuahua.

The Toronto Star profiles Peel River in the Yukon, a growing sources of contention between miners and environrmentalists

MINING.com counts more than 90 billionaires involved in minerals, metals and mining on the planet with a combined wealth of well over $300 billion.

Mining contributed $50 billion to the country’s GDP in 2011, he said, and provides “well paying” jobs for more than 300,000 Canadians.

BHP's four largest projects – Olympic Dam, the Outer Harbour iron ore infrastructure project in Australia, expansion of its US shale gas operations and Jansen potash in Saskatchewan, Canada – require $120 billion in capex costs, but will only start to contribute to the bottom line by 2023.

Ivanhoe and Rio Tinto not only have to deal with higher projected mining and processing costs at the mega-mine but also development delays and most worryingly, lower ore grades.