Rio Tinto signs JV exploration deal with China’s Minmetals

Arc Exploration Limited (ASX:ARX), an Australian gold mining exploration company with presence in Indonesia, has had its gold permit for the Bima gold prospect temporarily suspended due to the controversial dead of two protesters on Christmas Eve, in the area covered by Arc’s exploration license.

CHINESE trader Guangdong Guangxin Holdings has signed an $89 million deal to boost its interests in Australian base metals by buying a quarter of the Mineral Hill copper and goldmine in NSW and a 15 per cent stake in mine owner KBL Mining.

2011 will go down as the year when the wind fell out of the sails of economic recovery and serious storm clouds gathered on the horizon.

Australian Laguna Resources (ASX: LRC) has submitted an environmental impact study (EIS) to Chile’s Environment Ministry's evaluation service for its US$300 million Arqueros gold-silver project in the north of the country.

When Singapore-based OGL Resources Limited (ASX:OGL) announced its plans to reopen the Ebenezer Coal Mine west of Brisbane next year, little did it know that koala lovers would take them to the Supreme Court.

A once-abandoned copper mine in New South Wales, Australia is being revitalized through a partnership with a Chinese company.

New Guinea Gold (CVE:NGG) temporarily halted mining and processing at its Mt Sinivit operation after it was occupied by the Wild Dog Mining Area Landowner Association and Lulai Nakama Association.

Due to the high Australian dollar and low molybdenum prices, Moly Mines says the Spinifex Ridge molybdenum/copper project is sub-economic and the company won't be developing it.

Western Australia invited China to invest in a A$5.94 billion (US$6 billion) port and rail project that aims to open up a new iron ore province in the state's Mid West after Wednesday stripping a Mitsubishi Corp.-led venture of exclusive development rights.