Swedish Bronze Age axes made with copper from Cyprus

New online trading center will cut out intermediaries by permitting complete transactions

New decree will see increase in number of licensed exporters

Financial woes of the West present "rare and historic opportunities" for the Middle Kingdom

Australia now a key destination for foreign sex workers, illegal narcotics and touring rock bands

The chance of start mining asteroids, workers told ‘death’ only excuse for not working on Christmas and MINING.com's very own list of top billionaires involved in minerals and metals, became some of the most-read stories of 2012.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) city of Dubai, through its Gold and Jewellery association, has launched a gold promotion program that offer jewellery shoppers the chance to win 15kg of gold and cash prizes totalling $545,000 (2 million Dirham).

Relatively high gold prices during 2012 compelled companies to start mining more aggressively in the challenging terrain of the Guerrero Gold Belt (GGB), an emerging gold mining district in Mexico.

A relative of American heiress Huguette Clark, who could have inherited $19 million of her $300 million fortune, has been found dead in Wyoming.

The West Antarctic Ice Sheet is warming at three times the global average. Would this open the door for mining?