LME launches seven new contracts to try to boost volumes, profit

As Canadian exports of iron ore and uranium to China continue to increase dramatically, Beijing will benefit from higher-quality ore and diversification of supply sources, predicts economist Patricia Mohr in the latest Scotiabank’s Commodity Price Index.

Should the supermajors join the new platform it would mark the latest shift in the global iron ore business which has been completely transformed in less than a decade.

During the first eleven months of 2011, global usage grew by only 2.7% over 2010, but accelerated in October-November to 12% due to an jump of 38% in China.

The $2.5 billion deal saw European Goldfields add 6.4% in afternoon trade on Tuesday while Eldorado gained 6% to bring their combined market value to $10 billion.

Chinese coal miners discovered a botanical Pompeii, a 298 million year old forest well-preserved in ash from a sudden volcanic eruption.

In unveiling Canada’s British Columbia’s job-creation strategy last September, the Premier Christy Clark said the government planed to capitalize on high demand for minerals, especially in Asia, by opening up eight new mines in the next four years and expanding nine more by 2015.

In what is being regarded as the first major African mining play by a Chinese company, China Minmetals succeeded Friday in closing its $1.3 billion bid for copper miner Anvil Mining.

Pollution, bribes, more. Nikiforuk pries open the record of China's oil giant, business partner for Northern Gateway pipeline, The Tyee reports.

Wild price swings caused by a volatile rupee sapped Indian buying interest in gold in the fourth quarter of 2011, with imports well short of expectations and no pick up expected this year, dropping it behind China for the first time.