Problems with South Africa's main electricity provider, Eskom, are crimping the plans of major mining companies that depend on regular power provision to run their operations, an energy users group has warned.

India is back to being the number one consumer of gold, knocking China off the top of the podium as the country that consumed the most bullion in the form of gold bars, coins and jewelry, in 2014.

Hundreds of miners in Kosovo are back on shift following a three-day work stoppage to protest against the Kosovo government, which backtracked on an earlier decision to take control of the Trepca mining complex.

The popularity of gold as accessory has few, if any, limitations.

Beleaguered Imperial Metals (TSX:III), whose Mount Polley mine in central British Columbia breached a tailings pond last summer, has submitted a plan to restart the copper and gold mine.

Gold forecaster Sharps Pixley is sounding very bullish on the price of gold in 2015, saying it it "going out on a limb" to predict the yellow metal will average $1,321 an ounce, hitting a high of $1,450 and a low of $1,170.

Ivanhoe Mines  (TSE:IVN) received a bit of unwanted publicity on Sunday when it was revealed that the wife of CEO Lars-Eric Johansson is facing criminal charges for throwing a water bottle at a flight attendant on an Air Canada flight.

Nearly 700 coal miners in Western Kentucky are feeling hopeful this week, despite Patriot Coal deciding to permanently shut down the Highland and Dodge Hill mines on Dec. 31.

Oceanagold (TSX, ASX:OGC), an Australia-based gold producer, will start winding down its New Zealand mines to focus on lower-cost production in the Philippines, where it runs the Didipio copper-gold mine north of Manila.

Sherritt International (TSX:S), the natural resources company with extensive operations in Cuba, saw a whopping 42.9 percent gain between last Monday and Friday, resulting from an announced thaw in US-Cuba relations.

Shares in Thompson Creek Metals (TSX:TCM, NYSE:TC) sunk to 52-week lows, after news broke last Wednesday that the B.C.-focused company is putting its Endako molybdenum mine on temporary suspension.

Takeover rumours are swirling about a proposed buyout of Paramount Gold (TSX:PZG) by the United States' largest silver producer.