According to a new MarketResearch.com report coal accounts for over 40% of total global electrical generation – more than 1,700TWh in 2010 – and the installed generating capacity in 2010 was around 1,500GW out of a world total of 4,500GW. Global coal consumption advanced 7.6% last year and at a faster pace than crude oil, natural gas and nuclear, according to statistics published by oil giant BP.

Sinocast reports China's market for rare earths has begun to see negative effects of its crazy growth this year with an increasing number of downstream players finding it difficult to make deals despite price cuts. Prices of certain elements such as cerium used to polish TV screens and lenses are down 10% over the summer after months of break-neck price hikes. Reuters reports China is in the midst of a crackdown on illegal miners and processors and the busy black market trade that have sprung up, but has struggled to impose a REE production cap, with actual annual output exceeding official quotas by 40% to 50% since 2007.

China said on Wednesday that it would appeal against a World Trade Organisation ruling that it illegally restricted exports of certain rare and speciality metals and minerals including bauxite, coking coal, fluorspar, magnesium, manganese, silicon metal, silicon carbide, yellow phosphorus and zinc. The United States, European Union and Mexico argued that the minerals are key inputs for numerous industries and any cut in supplies could lead to sharp spikes in world prices. The complainants fear a similar situation to rare earths where the price of certain elements have tripled thanks to export cuts and China's virtual monopoly on production.

As one of Australia’s largest independent coal producers, Westfarmers Curragh has made further investments into site safety, training and operational efficiency in the way it inducts, trains and up-skills new and existing operators for its Curragh North expansion.

The Cat® D11, since 1986, has set the standard for machine productivity, durability, reliability, safety and operator convenience in high production dozing applications. The new D11T and D11T CD elevate that standard with design refinements that include Enhanced Auto Shift, Dynamic Inclination Monitor, automatic climate control and available automated ripper control.

Northern Ontario Business: The Haileybury School of Mines in Haileybury, Ontario, currently used to train mining engineering technicians, is celebrating its 100th anniversary.

In 2012, the internationally renowned Haileybury School of Mines, as part of Northern College, celebrates its 100th anniversary. “The school had its beginnings in Cobalt, however short that was, but has been in Haileybury ever since,” said Brian Dobbs, a professor at the Haileybury campus of Northern College.

Immersive technologies has certified the 100th graduate of its TrainerAdvantage program for simulator training supervisors, reports Canadian Mining Journal.

Graduates are certified on three levels including classroom and hands-on sessions with the simulators under the tutelage of an Immersive Technologies instructor. Each level builds on the previous one as trainers' proficiency grows from basic operation to advanced administration and management. The TrainerAdvantage program was launched in 2006.

Potassio do Brasil, partly owned by Canadian merchant bank Forbes and Manhattan, is seeking to renew negotiations with Brazil's government over rights to a potash reserve in the Amazon currently held by state oil company Petrobras adjacent to what it called a 'world class' potash discovery last week. The Potassio do Brasil mine will take $4 billion to develop and follows news earlier this month from Toronto-listed Verde Potash which announced a 1.1 billion tonne resource at its Amazon Cerrado Verde project that is suitable for open pit mining. The discoveries come as Brazil readies a new mining royalty regime – in certain instances doubling the rate – which would be managed by government decree. Mining investment in the world's fifth largest economy is also predicted to accelerate to $68.5 billion through 2015.

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwire - Aug. 30, 2011) - Further to the press release dated July 27, 2011, Nortec Minerals Corp. (TSX VENTURE:NVT)(PINK SHEETS:NMNZF)(FRANKFURT:WMQ) ("Nortec" or the "Company"), is pleased to announce that it has signed an Option and Joint Venture Agreement ("OA") with Otterburn Ventures Inc. (CSNX:OTB) ("Otterburn"). The OA gives Otterburn the option to earn up to an 80% interest in Nortec's Läntinen Koillismaa project, a 100 % owned palladium-platinum–gold–copper-nickel property ("LK Project"), located in north central Finland.