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News reports from Australia say BHP Billiton may face delays in getting approvals for its $30 billion Olympic Dam expansion, as Greens and other minor parties holding the balance of power in the South Australian Parliament push for an inquiry into the project. The legal agreement between BHP and the State Government will be introduced to parliament on Tuesday or Wednesday, but the Greens now want BHP Billiton officials to appear before a parliamentary committee to investigate the indenture legislation for the expansion. The project will create an open pit mine adjacent to the current Olympic Dam underground operation that would be the world's biggest – trucks will haul overburden 24/7 for five to six years just to reach the ore body.

UKZambians reports Zambia's Mines Minister Wilbur Simusa says he expects total cooperation from the mining companies as government engages them on taxation and that they should brace for tough decisions ahead, but he added that he does not anticipate resistance. There is mounting pressure on Zambia's new president Michael Sata who took office on the promise of improving mining conditions and a bigger share of mining profits for Zambians after protests at a Chinese-owned copper mine earlier this month and a brief ban on metal exports to sort out revenue collection in Africa’s top copper producer.

Bloomberg reports Grupo Mexico must return $1.3 billion to Southern Copper Corp. for forcing the unit to overpay for Minera México, a Delaware judge ruled. The court found that the terms of the 2005 merger was unfair to Southern Copper which mines copper and silver in Peru and Mexico. The court determined that Minera Mexico, at the time the second richest copper miner after Chile's Codelco, was only worth $2.43 billion and not the $3.75 billion Southern Copper paid.

China's state news agency reports all production at Freeport McMoran's Grasberg mine in a remote province of Indonesia has been halted after a pipeline was sabotaged, access to the pit and underground operations were blocked and three miners were killed in an ambush. The latest attack follows an incident last week when Indonesian security forces fired on striking workers after a protest turned violent, killing one and injuring a dozen other. Some 12,000 Workers at Grasberg began a strike on 15 September and has vowed to shut down the mine if hourly wages of $1.50 is not upped 8-fold. The local police chief said between 500 – 600 policemen are now billeted at the mine.

Ironback Zinc (ASX:IBG) announced on Thursday that Glencore International (LON:GLEN) will help the company with a US$50 million funding facility to advance […]

Quadra FNX Mining Ltd. ("Quadra FNX" or the "Company") (TSX:QUX) announces that consolidated payable production for the three months ended September 30 increased 9% compared to Q2 2011 and 30% compared to Q1 2011 and totaled 60 million pounds of copper, 26 thousand ounces of total precious metals ("TPMs") and 3 million pounds of nickel. Paul Blythe, President & CEO comments; "This is our strongest quarter since 2009, driven by Robinson and continuing strong performance from our Sudbury operations. We are seeing continuing and significant improvements in production at Robinson. The various measures that we have taken are delivering increased flexibility and productivity.

According to data posted on the website of the Chinese General Administration of Customs, the country reported robust commodities purchases in September as traders took advantage of falling prices. Chinese copper imports hit a 16-month high in September after increasing almost 12% from a month earlier to 380,526 metric tons as domestic stockpiles were reduced by almost half since March. Copper imports have now showed gains for the fourth month in a row.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA--(Marketwire - Oct. 13, 2011) - Robert Friedland, Chairman, and Peter Reeve, Chief Executive Officer of Ivanhoe Australia Limited (TSX:IVA)(ASX:IVA), are pleased to announce that Ivanhoe Australia has finalised its acq...

Hecla Mining (NYSE:HL) paid the U.S. Government $77 million to settle a suit involving the Bunker Hill Superfund site in the Coeur d’Alene Basin. The United States Attorney Wendy J. Olson made the announcement on Tuesday. The money will be used to pay for clean-up activities, securing natural resources, and restoring critical habitats to fish and wildlife in the Coeur d’Alene River Basin. Hecla Mining is also on the hook for an addtional $42 million for clean up costs which will have to be paid by August 2014. Hecla has also paid damages to the Coeur d’Alene Tribe and the State of Idaho.