At least four capesize cargoes of South African coal have been sold back to the original sellers by Chinese buyers during the past month and all are coming to Europe, said sources familiar with the deals. The South African coal is being stockpiled in Amsterdam-Rotterdam-Antwerp and at power plants either for sale into Europe or to be burned at the main buyer's own power plants.

Brazilian mining giant Vale SA is in talks with Liberian government over the reconstruction of a hydro power plant in West African nation's, Liberia president said on Monday. "The discussions with Vale are still going on. There are too many issues related to this discussions," Ellen Johnson Sirleaf said on the sidelines of a three-day oil, gas and mineral resources conference in the country's capital Monrovia.

As the extent and depth of its low-grade gold project Cerro Maricunga grows, so follows Atacama Pacific Gold's (TSX-V: ATM) shareprice. Since the start of the year the latter has climbed from around $3 a share to just over $5 as Atacama released a slew of drill intercepts outlining three, semi-contiguous areas of gold mineralization at Cerro Maricunga, 100-km northeast of Copiapo, Chile

South African miner Metorex (MTXJ.J: Quote) said on Monday that if there were any other serious offers to acquire it aside from one launched by Brazil's Vale (VALE5.SA: Quote) it would have to consider them. "If there are other serious and 'firm' offers for Metorex, the company has a duty to consider them and will of course consider any such offers in the best interests of its shareholders," Metorex CEO Terence Goodlace said in an e-mailed response to questions submitted by Reuters.

Indian infrastructure major Punj Lloyd on Monday announced that its Singapore-based subsidiary, Sembawang Engineers and Constructors, has entered into an agreement to acquire 50% stake in a thermal coal mine company in Indonesia. The Indonesian company is based in Central Kalimantan, Indonesia and the acquisition is to be done through Sembawang Development Pte Ltd, a unit of Sembawang Engineers, the company has informed the Bombay Stock Exchange.

BHP Billiton played down speculation it was in talks to acquire a cornerstone stake that could be worth $10.3 billion (A$9.8 billion) in Australia's largest oil and gas firm, Woodside Petroleum , from Royal Dutch Shell (RDSa.L: Quote). BHP Billiton, widely rumoured to be considering a takeover of Woodside, said in a short statement that there was no basis for the market talk, which has centred on BHP acquiring Shell's 24.3 percent stake as a step toward a full takeover.

Russia's biggest gold miner Polyus Gold (PLZL.MM: Quote), KazakhGold KZJq.L and the Assaubayev family have settled all legal claims brought against the Assaubayevs, all parties said on Monday.

Top global miner BHP Billiton has bought back A$6 billion ($6.3 billion) of its shares, or 4.4 percent of its Australian-listed shares, as part of its $10 billion capital management program. It said on Monday the final price was set at A$40.85 a share, a 14 percent discount to the market price of A$47.4985, based on the average trading price over the five days up to the close of the tender on April 8.

Hundreds of Grasberg employees protested in front of the PT Freeport Indonesia offices for two days, refusing to go to work until their employer could guarantee their safety.

Egypt has lifted a ban on the export of gold due to increasing economic and political stability, the government said in a statement on Saturday. The government decided on Feb. 27 to ban exports of gold until June 30 -- a decision which the statement issued on Saturday said was aimed at "guarding Egyptian national security and to stop smuggling of the country's wealth abroad".

Brazil's Vale (VALE5.SA: Quote), the world's largest producer of iron ore, has made an offer to acquire South African miner Metorex Ltd (MTXJ.J: Quote) for 7.5 billion rand ($1.13 billion), the two companies said on Friday. "Under the terms of the offer, if implemented, the Metorex shareholders will receive a cash consideration of 7.35 rand per share," the companies said in a joint statement.

Gold Fields GFIJ. said on Friday that its attributable group production for the March quarter was expected to decline from the previous quarter to about 830,000 ounces. "As expected production is lower than that achieved in the previous quarter (900,000 ounces), almost entirely due to the customary Christmas break in South Africa, when all mines close for two weeks," it said in a brief guidance for investors.