Lithium Power closer to start mining at Chile’s Maricunga

The Sydney Morning Herald reports in a major policy victory for Australia's Gillard government's controversial carbon pricing scheme has passed parliament with Labor and the Australian Greens forcing the 18 so-called clean energy bills through the Senate. The laws – fiercely opposed by the country's mining sector which says it will lead to more than 20 mine closures and cost thousands of jobs – will force Australia's top 500 polluting companies to pay a tax of $24.50/tonne on carbon emissions from July 2012. On top of the carbon tax set to kick in mid-2012, Australian miners also have to contend with the new minerals resource rent tax set at an effective 22.5% rate on the so-called super-profits of the extractive industries.

Animation Insider reports SpongeBob SquarePants contributes a hefty amount to Nickelodeon Consumer Product's estimated $5.5 billion in annual, worldwide retail sales. For international coin collectors – or for that one die-hard SpongeBob fan who must have absolutely everything – two companies are partnering with Nickelodeon to manufacture a limited run of four, one-ounce, silver legal tender, based on the cartoon. PFG Precious Metals from Chicago, a wholesale precious metals company, and the New Zealand Mint, a respected minter legal tender for four and a half decades, are now accepting orders for SpongeBob silver.

The CourierMail reports fly-in, fly-out "working girls" travelling from as far away as New Zealand to the remote mining regions of Queensland and Western Australia are making as much as $2,000 a day from mine labourers who have lots of cash but are deprived of female company for weeks on end. Fifo prostitution is just the latest concern for rural communities in the country's mineral-rich states who are becoming increasingly unhappy about mining firms like BHP that set up self-contained mining towns cut off from locals or let miners fly in and out without ever investing in existing communities.

India's largest business group is considering making a bid for New Hope Corp. (ASX:NHC) in what could be the largest coal deal since Alpha Natural Resources (NYSE:ANR) bought Massey Energy in January for around $7 billion. According to Bloomberg, citing sources familiar with the plan, the acquisition would involve a joint bid between Tata Steel and Tata Power for Queensland-based New Hope which is valued at $A4.9 billion. Indian steelmakers and power plants are struggling to secure coal to run their plants in the face of supply shortages.

The Royal Canadian Mint displayed its $1-million face value, 100 kg Gold Maple Leaf Bullion coin at Richmond Hill on Thursday. It […]

World #2 iron ore miner Rio Tinto has reached a deal with Komatsu to buy 150 driverless truck over the next four years. The new trucks, which will start arriving in 2012, will be used in Rio Tinto's Pilbara iron ore mines in Western Australia and can be controlled from its Operations Centre in Perth more than 1500 km away. Rio says the vehicles will increase productivity by hauling more material quicker. The Komatsu Autonomous Haulage System, a world first, has been tested in the Pilbara since December 2008. The company currently operates a fleet of 203 standard haul trucks and 10 driverless vehicles.

OneSteel (ASX:OST), an integrated steel manufacturer and iron ore miner based in Australia, dropped 18% to 98.5 cents a share after the company gave a gloomy financial forecast as it tries to cope with falling iron ore prices and a rising Australian dollar.

Perth Mint announced that it minted a one-tonne gold bullion coin that is worth over $55 million. It is the world's largest gold bullion coin. The previous record holder was a coin produced by the Royal Canadian Mint. Dimensions of the coin are 80 centimetres wide and over 12 centimetres thick. Watch the video on how the coin was made.

Australian copper and zinc miner Kagara Ltd. (ASX:KZL) is selling its Lounge Lizard nickel mine. "Kagara and its adviser Goldman Sachs & Partners Australia have commenced discussions with potential purchasers of Kagara’s nickel assets. Kagara expects to finalise the sale process during the first quarter of 2012," Kagara said in a statement on Monday. Reuters reported that Kagara's mining partner, Western Areas, is not interested.