First Quantum Minerals to let 2,500 workers in Zambia go over tax hikes

South Africa's gold mining companies have been hit by union demands for wage hikes but the industry has little room to budge as current collective agreements do not expire until the middle of next year, the country's chamber of mines said.

Paragon Diamonds (LON:PRG) has signed a financing agreement for its Motete Dyke project in Lesotho, paving the way for production to start in 2013.

The boom in Zimbabwe ‘s diamond industry has not translated into improved living standards for ordinary citizens, as proceeds from gems’ sales benefit a few politically connected individuals and finance undercover security operations, AllAfrica.com reports.

Al Jazeera tracked down some of the grieving family members of the miners who were killed in the Aug. 16 shootings that left 34 dead.

Troubled platinum miner Lonmin (LON:LMI) said that 57% of its workers turned up for work.

Gold Fields (NYSE:GFI), the fourth-biggest bullion producer, said it will fail to reach its predicted output target of 3.5 million ounces for 2012 and that it is revising its operations to increase the delivery of profits rather than ounces of the precious metal.

Gertler, 38, used his relationship with DRC president  Joseph Kabila and Kabila's now late adviser Augustin Katumba Mwanke to bag mining projects "by stripping from others if necessary, only to sell them on at great profit."

The Australian diamond company Lonrho Mining dazzled investors Tuesday as the company confirmed the finding of two huge diamonds from the Lulo project, in northeastern Angola.

Only about a third of a 28,000-strong workforce reported for their shifts at Lonmin's Marikana platinum operations in South Africa. The London-based miner said workers who did not show up today would not face the sack – the deadline has been moved to tomorrow (Tuesday).