The U.S., Japan and the European Union have filed an official complaint at the World Trade Organization this morning, urging the body to take actions against China’s restrictions on these metals. President Obama warned China that it would not be allowed to gain a competitive advantage in world trade by "skirting the rules."

Shares of Chilean miner Antofagasta PLC (LON:ANTO) were down 3.1% this morning after the company disappointed market hopes for a whopping special dividend and announced instead a cut on dividends and an increased spending on growth projects.

Once the world's biggest gold producer by a huge margin, South Africa's gold production is continuing to dive with an 11.3% fall year on year in January, following an 8.2% drop in December.

MarketWatch quotes  Nomura economist Zhiwei Zhang as saying:  "Overall, economic conditions are getting weaker at a fast pace. The slowdown is happening faster than the government expected."

Caledonia, worth $57 million on the TSX, is up 35% so far this year and ten times the usual volume of 131,000 shares changed hands on Monday.

Goldcorp. Inc. (TSX:G) says development will continue as planned on the $3.9-billion El Morro copper and gold project unless Chile's supreme court upholds a decision that rescinds its environmental permit.

Great Panther is pleased to report revenues for the year ended December 31, 2011 of $57.8 million, representing a 37% increase over 2010. The Company's gross profit or earnings from mining operations increased by 64% to $26.9 million for 2011, and net earnings increased 8% to $11.5 million. The Company also increased working capital to $53.8 million at December 31, 2011, from $18.8 million at the end of the prior year.

Several small earthquakes that affected the northwest region of the United States during 2011 were probably caused by hydraulic fracturing or "fracking,” concludes the latest report by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR), which regulates the oil and gas industry in the country.

The Kentucky Coal Academy and Workforce Solutions of Southeast Kentucky Community & Technical College are offering a free eight-week coal mining course in Cumberland, Kentucky, for miners to improve their skills, reports Kentucky.com. "It provides state-of-the-art training at no cost to the participant," [director of the Kentucky Coal Academy Murrel] Dixon said. "It should be of particular interest now because of current mine lay-offs. This is a good time for coal miners to come out, undergo quality technical training that will not only make them efficient in the mining industry, but in other areas."