Gold and iron ore are doing equally well. Their miners are not

The miner has also been extremely hard-hit in recent months by a double whammy of falling prices and China fears.

With the changes, Anglo’s chief Mark Cutifani is trying to turn around the company’s fortunes following years during which it has underperformed its peers.

The move would help the miner meet its ambitious target for reducing its $13 billion debt by $3 billion before year-end.

State prosecutor for the region says the companies were negligent and he has opened an investigation.

222 Tasiast employees let go in September.

Analysts estimate the accident is likely to keep the the Samarco iron ore mine shut until financial 2019, with clean-up costs exceeding US$1 billion.

Nyrstar is also considering to cut global zinc concentrate supply by up to a further 400,000 tonnes if the slump in commodity prices continues.

John McKay is optimistic.

World's top iron ore miner saves $2.6 billion on giant expansion bringing 90 million tonnes of ultra-cheap ore to markets in little over a year's time.