BHP Billiton has dissolved a partnership with Blackthorn Resources to develop a mine in Zambia, according to a report in The Post Online: World's largest mining company BHP Billiton has finally withdrawn from the Mumbwa Iron Oxide Copper Gold project, aborting expectations that Zambia was to herald a new era of top tier miners. Its joint venture partner, Blackthorn Resources, announced that BHP Billiton had pulled out of a copper venture but would retain the right to a two per cent production royalty on any metal mined from the area.

Klondike Silver Corp. announced on Tuesday it has arranged for a private placement of up to 4,000,000 units for total proceeds of up to $1,000,000. Proceeds from the private placement will be used for exploration expenditures on the Company’s Yukon, British Columbia and Ontario mineral properties as well as for general working capital. Klondike Silver is a member of the Hughes Exploration Group of Companies.

Reuters reported that the spot price for Brazil potash from Belarus Potash will increase. The market news is quoted as saying: BPC, a joint venture between Belarussian state firm Belaruskali and Russia’s Uralkali, said the move reflected higher global demand for potassium-based fertilizers and limited stocks.

South African coal miner Exxaro Resources has agreed to pay AUD$123 million for Territory Resources with the goal of producing 10 million metric tonnes of iron ore a year, Bloomberg reported Monday: Exxaro offered A$0.46 a share for the iron-ore miner based in Perth, Western Australia, the companies said in a statement today. The bid, at a 64 percent premium to the closing price on May 20, was recommended by Territory’s board, they said.

Indian controlled and London listed diversified miner, Vedanta is reported to be poised to float off Konkola Copper Mines, its major Zambian copper producer for around US$7.3bn. Vedanta bought an initial 51% stake in Konkola Copper Mines in 2004 for a paltry US$261m, and subsequently increased its holding to the current 79.4% with the Zambian Government holding the balance, so an IPO valuing the company at over $7bn represents a huge gain for the multinational, founded and controlled by Indian entrepreneur Anil Agarwal.

Caterpillar and Bucyrus International have received notification from the US Department of Justice (DOJ) that it has closed its investigation into Caterpillar’s planned acquisition of Bucyrus. The DOJ action, in addition to the expiration of the Hart-Scott-Rodino Act waiting period, concludes the antitrust review process in the US. The clearance by the DOJ will allow the acquisition, valued at approximately $8.6 billion (including net debt), to proceed as soon as all other conditions to closing have been satisfied. The transaction is expected to close in mid-2011. The implifications of this acquisition were considered in detail in IM, December 2010.

Bloomberg reported that a drop in coal exports following Australia’s floods pushed up exports from the US. The market news is quoted as saying: Queensland Resources Council, representing miners in the Australian state, said in January 85 percent of mines were “impaired by excess water.” Further rains delayed a production recovery, RBS Morgans Ltd. said last month.

Mining Weekly reported that Hunnu Coal (ASX:HUN) bought a majority stake in the Altai Nuurs coal project from Rio Tinto (ASX:RIO). The market news is quoted as saying: Hunnu said in a statement that it would now start Jorc modelling at the Altai Nuurs project, with a major drilling programme planned for the remainder of 2011.

The Rasp underground mine in the heart of one of Australia' most historic mining centres -- Broken Hill's Line of Lode -- should be operating by April next year. Development of the Rasp mine on Central Mining Lease 7 is in one of the most intensely worked areas between the Perilya Ltd North and South mining leases and it had a stop-start scenario with the big stall being when the zinc price crashed in during the global financial crisis.