Glencore’s Valeria coal mine granted special status

Goldman expects the iron ore "war of attrition" will continue while prices gradually decline toward its $40 per metric ton forecast by 2017.

The stock surged over 15% in early trade, closing at A$2.40, or 10.6% up, after reports of Chinese-linked companies seeking permission to invest in the iron ore producer.

Perhaps the most important aspect of today’s agreements is the fact that both aim to form long-term strategic partnerships to collaborate on further ventures, opening new markets for all the firms involved.

The deal is part of a long-term strategic cooperation agreement that will see Zijin and Barrick collaborate on future projects and joint investments.

With the acquisition Evolution Mining will become Australia's second largest gold producer.

The Haul Road Optimisation Alliance provide complete haul road management including site assessment, design, construction, road surface friction assessment and profiling, automated water truck spray systems, remotely monitored water assets, dust suppression and road stabilisation, real time haul road dust and condition monitoring, and specialised training.

Analysts believe Cowal mine may be worth at least $400 million, and that Barrick would likely get as much as $1.1 billion from the sale of both, the New South Wales' mine and Papua New Guinea’s Porgera.

Researchers from QUT's Australian Centre for Entrepreneurship Research (ACE) investigated more than 1000 joint ventures in the Australian mining industry to uncover why some succeed and others fail.

The China-Brazil deal means that in just three years Vale will be producing more than BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto combined.