Copper price: Chinese concentrate imports hit monthly record

Vale is the world's largest producer of iron ore and a top nickel miner, reported a quarterly net profit of $4.67 billion, compared to $5.9 billion in the same quarter last year.

Although some Asian firms have found creative ways of doing business with Iran, European iron ore traders and shipping companies are shying away completely from transacting with the country as US-led sanctions start to have an impact.

Gordon G. Chang, gloomy prognosticator on China, digs into trade numbers on copper and believes the Chinese are buying copper to gussy up their trade deficit numbers, rather than having a real need for the metal.

Chinese miner, Prosperity Minerals (PMHL.L), announced on Monday a US$25 million investment in Malaysian iron ore mines.

A $4 billion rare earths deal signed this week between Germany and Kazakhstan is being criticized by human rights groups.

Canada’s nuclear-energy industry generates some $6.6 billion in annual revenue, $1.2 billion in exports each year and employs roughly 31,000 people according to Harper's office.

Reuters reports that sovereign wealth fund China Investment Corp (CIC) and state oil company Sinopec are among three cornerstone investors that will pledge $350 million towards Sunshine Oilsands Ltd's Hong Kong IPO.

TORONTO, CANADA--(Marketwire - Feb. 6, 2012) - Centerra Gold Inc. (TSX:CG) announced that the unionized employees of its Kumtor operation in the Kyrgyz Republic have begun an illegal strike.

Sunshine Oilsands, a Calgary-based oil explorer backed by Chinese state-owned enterprises, has delayed the launch of a planned up to $700 million initial public offering in Hong Kong which would have been the biggest in Asia this year.