THE Guinean government in Conakry says it has enough evidence to launch a new court claim against Russian aluminium company Rusal, for at least 1bn.

GOLD has broken records for three successive days, but what about the other metals? And what are their prospects?

Minister of Mines and Steel, Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke, has attributed the the slow pace of development in the sector, to lack of geosciences data for investors and requisite infrastructural facilities.

FACTORY output fell unexpectedly in August while mining production contracted, highlighting the fragility of a tentative economic recovery.

The mining sector is set to contribute 20 per cent to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the country with the granting of 2,062 mining licences to operators in the solid minerals sector, THISDAY has learnt.

DEFENCE Minister Emmerson Mnangagwa is leading a high powered delegation to Angola and Namibia to consult on how best the country could comply with recommendations of the Kimberly Process Certification Scheme in exploiting the Chiadzwa diamonds in Marange.

THE gold price rallied to a new historic high for the second day running, briefly touching 1048,43/oz in London yesterday before easing to 1042,80.

ANGLO AMERICAN expected continued growth in seaborne iron-ore demand in the period up to 2013, the company said yesterday.

HARMONY Gold Mining CEO Graham Briggs said yesterday the dollar price of gold could stay above 1000 this year after it hit a new record, but a stronger rand was eroding gains for South African producers.

KONKOLA Copper Mines (KCM) is set to re-open the closed Fitwaola Mine in Chililabombwe.

SA's gross gold and foreign exchange reserves leapt 3% to 39,1bn last month, but there was little evidence to show that the Reserve Bank had intervened aggressively to try to curb sustained gains in the rand.

Gold climbed to a record for a third day and crude oil advanced in New York as the dollar's drop toward a two week-low prompted investors to buy commodities as a hedge against potential inflation.

The creation of a joint venture with diamond company De Beers will give listed miner AngloGold Ashanti a head start in exploring for and mining minerals from deposits located on the continental shelf, AngloGold Ashanti announced yesterday.

Robert Mugabe in Parliament on Tuesday announced that the government had selected two foreign firms to mine diamonds at the controversial Chiadzwa fields in Manicaland province. By doing this he is once again ignoring the laws and courts of his

MINER Rockwell Diamonds this week said a company-wide restructuring and cost-cutting exercise started at the beginning of the year has led to an improvement in production in the quarter to September.

TWO illegal miners died on Monday after being buried alive as they scoured for copper in Chingola.