Prices for lithium have more than doubled in the past two years on forecasts for massive demand from the electric vehicle industry.

South Korea's largest steel producer has acquired 4.8% stake in Pilbara Minerals, from which it will buy up to 240,000 tonnes of lithium concentrate per year.

Barrick Gold Corp said a power station that supplies its Porgera gold mine had been damaged, while Ok Tedi Mining Ltd said a landslip had blocked a road and damaged pipelines to its copper and gold mine in the Star Mountains.

If there is a trend at play here, it’s that diversified miners are the ones most likely to exit coal.

CHART: Baltic Dry Index has plummeted 32% since December, opening up huge gap to closely correlated industrial metal prices.

The global economy is booming and demand for precious jewels, particularly colored gemstones, has never been higher.

A test sale was conducted and, according to the Minister of Mines, it was a total success.

Kaz Minerals reported a jump in 2017 sales and production as its main mines ramped up and said it expected its 2018 output to rise as much as 16%.