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Canadian mining firm Barrick Gold is said to be concluding talks to sell all or part of its 74 per cent stake in ABG to China’s largest gold producer, China National Gold Group Corp (CNGG), a deal first announced on August 16. The deal, analysts said, could lead to a sharp decline in traditional Western trading partners’ stranglehold on Africa’s mining sector as China scrambles to take over exploration and mining operations in Africa to satisfy its expanding domestic demand for commodities, especially gold.

http://www.theeastafrican.co.ke/business/China-makes-foray-into-African-mining-with-bid-for-Barrick-Gold/-/2560/1634230/-/5jj077/-/index.html

Copper supply shortages will extend into the first half of next year as an accelerating Chinese economy more than doubles the pace of growth in global consumption even as mines extract a record amount of metal.

http://www.businessweek.com/news/2012-11-28/copper-shortage-seen-extending-as-china-accelerates-commodities

The merged company to be formed by Glencore PLC (GLEN.LN) and Xstrata PLC (XTA.LN) could produce “well over” one million metric tons of copper next year once antitrust regulators in various countries approve the mining alliance, a senior executive from Xstrata Copper Australia said Thursday.

http://www.foxbusiness.com/news/2012/11/29/glencore-xstrata-copper-output-seen-above-1-million-tons/#ixzz2Dd2Isd5P

JAKARTA – Indonesia’s nickel ore exports recovered in October, as biggest buyer China stocked up ahead of winter and more miners resumed production after meeting tough government rules that battered shipments this year from the world’s top exporter of the metal.

http://www.miningweekly.com/article/indonesias-nickel-ore-exports-recover-from-govt-curbs-2012-11-27

Renewed fighting between rebels and government troops in Congo’s restive east is likely to make it very difficult for consumers of the rare-earth metal tantalum, used in the aerospace and electronics industry, to continue to trade legitimately with the country, traders and analysts said Monday.

http://blogs.wsj.com/marketbeat/2012/11/26/fighting-in-congo-could-push-up-price-for-tantalum/

Xstrata PLC (XTA.LN), the Anglo-Swiss mining company that’s in the process of merging with Swiss commodities broker Glencore International PLC (GLEN.LN), said Friday Xstrata Nickel–the industrial partner in the Koniambo Nickel Project–has completed construction of the first production line of the smelter Line 1.

http://www.foxbusiness.com/news/2012/11/23/xstrata-koniambo-nickel-project-first-production-line-completed/

Nov 21 (Reuters) – Zambia has granted environmental approval to Canadian group First Quantum Minerals for a planned 300,000 tonnes per year copper smelter, the environmental management agency said on Wednesday.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/11/21/firstquantum-zambia-approval-idUSL5E8ML8BY20121121

Jubilee Platinum says it has taken a “major step” towards implementing its mine-to-metals strategy with the announcement of a new memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Platinum Australia.

http://www.platinum.matthey.com/media-room/news-room/jubilee-platinum-marks-mine-to-metals-milestone-with-platinum-australia-deal/801492127.html