The company expects to produce approximately 1.7 mln tonnes of copper in the whole of 2018.

The move threatens to jolt China's exports of aluminium, which have been booming in recent months. Mexico "is a big market" for Chinese aluminium foil.

Operations have resumed at AngloGold Ashanti's Siguiri gold mine in Guinea

As global demand for lithium hits overdrive, Albemarle Corp is investing millions of dollars to engineer specialized types of the light metal for electric car batteries, part of a strategy to remain the niche market's top producer.

Congo is Africa's top copper producer and the world's leading miner of cobalt, which is a key component in electric vehicles and other electronic products.

The company said five holes had been dug on top of a pipeline carrying a solution of gold and cyanide.

South Korea, Brazil and Argentina will benefit from the measure.

A strike at AngloGold Ashanti's Siguiri gold mine in Guinea has halts operations.

Botswana's Minergy Limited said on Wednesday it has started construction at its Masama Coal Mine, which is set to be the country's first privately-owned coal mine, following government approval.

The 83 workers of the Plantas de Andina union began a strike on Aug. 20 after contract negotiations over salaries and bonuses failed.

Phoenix Global Mining, which is reopening a U.S. copper mine abandoned during World War II when its workforce left to fight, plans to list in New York in September after a disappointing launch on London's AIM market.

The London-listed company said in February it had received environmental approval for the three-stage infrastructure upgrade.