Low levels of zinc and copper are associated with miscarriages in pregnant women, Digital Journal reports. Scientists at the University of Granada compared data from two groups of women — with one half having suffered miscarriages and the other half who had normal pregnancies — and found that lower levels of zinc and copper in the women who had miscarriages, suggesting a deficiency of one or both elements could be involved.

Is it possible to get lithium without actually mining it? Martin LaMonica in his "Green Tech" blog explains how. LaMonica reports that Simbol Materials has started a plant in California that is able to extract metals from the discharge brine of geothermal plants:

Russian mining group Severstal plans to boost production of coking coal and expects iron ore mines in Liberia and Brazil to come online by 2017, the company said Thursday in a presentation to investors in London. CEO Vadim Larin predicted the price of both materials used in steelmaking will remain high and forecasts limited supply growth as current market turmoil delays new projects, Platts reported:

With the price of coal off about $5 a metric tonne, coal-mining companies are looking more tempting to acquirers. The Australian reports that Yancoal Australia, fresh from purchasing Wesfarmers' Premier Coal Mine in Western Australia for $297 million last week and Syntech Resources last month for $202.5 million, could buy more coal mines.

BC Premier Christy Clark warmed the hearts of the mining community in British Columbia last week when she committed her government to speeding approvals for new projects, and help to open up eight new mines and expand nine existing mines by 2015.

Fear that Germany may not pass a crucial vote to shore up the eurozone's rescue fund savaged commodities overnight, with copper falling to its lowest level in 14 months, and taking crude oil and grains down with it. The red metal — widely considered to be a bellwether of the global economy — lost 7% of its value and sustained the second largest drop since the recession of 2008, Melbourne Age reported:

Orvana Minerals Corp. TSX:ORV has applied for a permit to begin mining its Copperwood project in Michigan. The environmental permit is one of 13 permits needed to mine in Michigan.

Researchers have discovered a new way to separate gold, silver, copper and other valuable metals from ore using the flotation processing method, reports MEI Online.

Australia’s Green Party wants gold companies to be subject to the country’s proposed Mineral Resource Rent Tax (MRRT), Xinhua reports. The tax, […]

Cliffs Natural Resources was down about 7% in mid-day trading after the Cleveland-based company announced plans yesterday to sell and idle its biomass production facility in Michigan. Cliffs said it will take a $30 million charge in the third quarter as a result of the decision, while adding it will make efforts to reassign the 30-odd employees of renewaFUEL to other positions in the company.

Veteran portfolio manager Don Coxe has identified an interesting economic trend that could explain the stalled equity-market cycle, David Parkinson noted in his investment column in last weekend's Globe and Mail. Coxe, chairman of Coxe Advisors LLC, re-introduces the concept of "stagflation" — an unsavory combination of high inflation and low economic growth — which hasn't been used since the 1970s when inflation was running at double digits.

Fin24 is reporting that a huge tailings dam being built in Kuma township could get kyboshed due to opposition from environmental groups, pressure groups and demands from landowners. The Kareerand tailings dam being built by First Uranium TSX:FIU, JSE:FUM 15km outside Stilfontein is a R400 million project motivated by a need to solve the ubiquitous dust cloud that currently envelops Kuma residents from 15 old tailings dams — relics from the Buffelsfontein and Hartbeesfontein gold mines — says Fin24, which describes the dam in some detail: