BHP Billiton has hit record earnings boosted by iron ore production. The mining giant with a highly diversified portfolio that includes iron ore, coal, copper, zinc, diamonds, oil and natural gas has posted a profit of US$9.9 billion for the first half of the 2012 financial year.
Brazilian mining giant Vale SA, has been charged with $5.6 billion in unpaid taxes in Brazil. The world’s largest iron ore producing company plans to lodge an appeal against the decision.
Gold production for Newcrest Mining Limited declined 20% after disruptions at its Cadia Valley and Lihir mines.
BHP Billiton announced that it was going to set new records in the production of iron ore in 2012. The statement from the mining giant came on Wednesday in light of the expansion of mining operations in the Pilbara region of Western Australia.
Bolivia managed to reach a record export of minerals in 2011 earning $3.3 billion from the sector. Minister of Mining and Metallurgy, Jose Pimentel said that the high revenues were a result of rising prices of minerals.
Gold mining firm Resolute Mining has lifted its production of the precious metal in the last quarter of 2011.
Newmont Mining said that costs for mining gold and copper would rise this year. This will be due to higher labor and power costs in Australia. The company also said that it would expect a lower production of copper this year due to hitting low grade ores Indonesia.
Lundin Mining Corporation declared that its fourth quarter copper output was up by 10%. The company produced 27,488 tonnes of copper in the final quarter of 2011.
Newcrest Mining is seeing its share value plunge this week after the grades at three of its mines in Australia were revealed to be diminishing. The shares came down 85 cents to rest at $30.22 on Tuesday, rising to $31.65 at midday Wednesday (AEST).
Niblack Mineral Development along with the Heatherdale Resources, have reported the further encouraging results of the exploration and definition holes, drilled during the summer and spring campaign at the Niblack volcanogenic massive sulphide (VMS) project, southeast Alaska.