Nickel

The World Trade Organization will investigate China's quotas and tariffs on rare earth minerals following prompting from the US, EU and Japan, who allege the export restrictions are in contravention of international trade regulations.

There is no end on sight to the mining boom in Australia, a country which mineral resources sector value is expected to reach $122.6 billion by 2016, growing at an annual average rate of 4.3%, reveals a study published Saturday.

Ample stocks of ore and metal in China, together with overcapacity outside China, means that the nickel market is unlikely to get particularly tight for the foreseeable future.

The Chinese government has halved the number of rare earth mining rights in the country pulling 65 permits in all, according to a report by ChinaDaily USA.

Halifax-based Metals Economics Group (MEG) published Thursday its Pipeline Activity Index (PAI), which shows equity financing conditions continue to take their toll, as gold companies were able to raise only $445 million through equity placements in May-June—the lowest two-month total since late 2008.

Recent discoveries of rare earth minerals at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean could break China's existing stranglehold on supply of the key raw materials.

A wildcat strike by construction workers at Vale SA's Long Harbour nickel processing plant in Eastern Canada dragged into its fifth day on Monday, with hundreds of union members refusing to enter the job site in protest over wages.

Recent developments show that becoming rich by profiting of the minerals that asteroids, stars and unknown planets have to offer it is closer than ever. Before it is too late, check this infographic on how to profit in the new Space Age.

The Canadian mining company continues to struggle with cost overruns at its flagship Boleo mine in Mexico, the company has not yet received any funding proposals for the project and only has enough money to run it until August 1.