During the first eleven months of 2011, global usage grew by only 2.7% over 2010, but accelerated in October-November to 12% due to an jump of 38% in China.

Gold's recent move higher to within sight of $1,800 an ounce for the first time since September is tracking that of oil which is trading at a nine-month high on tensions between the West and Iran. Gold futures have gained $185/oz so far this year.

India's Power Minister says that nuclear power will add 63,000 MW of capacity, a fourteen fold increase, to his country over the next 20 years.

Coeur d'Alene Mines Corp. broke production and sales records in 2011.

Nearly 13.7 billion years ago, the universe was made of only hydrogen, helium and traces of lithium — byproducts of the Big Bang. Some 300 million years later, the very first stars emerged, creating additional chemical elements throughout the universe. Since then, giant stellar explosions, or supernovas, have given rise to carbon, oxygen, iron and the rest of the 94 naturally occurring elements of the periodic table.

According to a recent report generated by the Ontario Ministry of Tourism and Culture, the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada's (PDAC) Convention contributed nearly $72 million to Toronto's economy in 2011.

MiningNews.net reports: Resourceful Events is presenting a Mining 101 workshop in Perth on June 18th.

The Mining 101 workshop is an excellent introduction for companies looking to provide their services to the Mining Sector or for those embarking on careers within the mining sector - graduates, new recruits and associated sectors - the financial community, lawyers, PR companies, equipment manufacturers and service providers who would benefit from an overview of mining, and be in a better position as a result to develop more business opportunities.

In the midst of intense lobbying from Canada, a committee of the European Union Parliament blocked passage of a proposed fuel quality directive that would label Canada’s oil sands as a more carbon-intensive source of oil than conventional crude

Thousands of workers at Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc's (NYSE:FCX) Indonesia unit stopped working on Thursday following an unsettled ongoing dispute with the organization, reports Reuters.