Mehdiabad, zinc, lead and silver deposit, has 154mn tonnes of proven reserves, according to IMIDRO, which expects the reserves to reach up to 700mn tonnes once exploration is completed. (Image source: RoDobby/Pixabay)

Iran has signed a US$1bn deal with private investors to develop Mehdiabad, one of the world?s largest zinc mines, which it expects to come on stream in the next four years and produce 800,000 tonnes of zinc concentrate per year

The World Bank believes metals prices will rise more sharply in 2017 than it had forecast in July as a result of faster-than-expected mine closures. (Image source: Communicantcy/Pixabay)

Global mining activity is struggling to recover from its downturn at the start of 2015 and last year?s depressed metals prices, combined with falling demand in China and the rest of the key world economies, has led to fears in some quarters that the bottom of the cycle may not be reached in 2016

Centamin?s Sukari mine, Egypt?s sole gold-exporting mine, had paid the government US$40mn in profits since last July. (Image source: Glen Ross/Flickr)

Egypt will hold its first international tender for gold mining concessions since 2009 in early December, petroleum minister Tarek El Molla said at an economic conference

The group is seeking US$600mn from one or more international joint venture partners to help develop the two copper mines in the country. (Image source: Neta623/Pixabay)

Private Iranian company Mahan Company for Mines and Industries Development (MACMID) is seeking joint venture partners to help develop copper, steel and other projects in the country, according to managing director Ebrahim Sadeghi