Australian trade minister Craig Emerson has said Chinese demand will continue to give support to the country's mining boom despite declines in export prices.
Disputes between China and Japan over offshore territory have proceeded a step further with both countries competing for exploratory licenses to large swathes of the Pacific Ocean floor.
Vale has teamed up with the University of São Paulo to identify bacteria and fungi capable of eating copper in a move which could generate an additional $1.4 billion in gross revenue for the Brazilian mining giant.
Scientific American provides a detailed, hypothetical response to the question which has no doubt crossed the mind of anyone involved with the mining sector - how long before the Earth's bounty of resources runs out?
Gina Rinehart has raised the ire of the Australian public again with a ten minute Youtube speech on the shortcomings of the country's economy which has triggered ad hominem attacks from leading political figures.
