Mongolia should not become too dependent on the "very volatile" industry of mining, its central bank's deputy governor said.

I expect most readers will be able to remember October 2011, although it seems that one person would appear to be hoping that such a span is too much for the memory of speculative investors.

Chilean copper miner Antofagasta posted a drop in first-half earnings of just 5%, thanks to the contribution of its Esperanza mine. “We delivered a very strong operational performance," cfo Alejandro Rivera (pictured) said.

Annual financial statements from some of the major mining companies have not made particularly cheerful reading over recent weeks.

The big financial scandal this month is slightly different from the normal business of rigging markets and uncontrollably large positions.

The slowing down of Chinese economic growth, while probably predictable – nothing goes in one direction for ever – looks as though it may pose some severe problems for the producers and traders of hard commodities.

The vogue phrase amongst politicians struggling with the world’s economic woes seems to be “whatever it takes”.

Iron ore production in Mexico fell by 2.9% year-on-year in May 2012 to 694,163 tonnes, according to national statistics agency Inegi.

Marex Spectron analysis finds the base metals complex at a key juncture as we head into August, with speculative short positions having reached significant levels in certain metals.

The vote by LME members to approve the bid from HKEx means that, by the end of the year, the London exchange will no longer exist as an independent organisation. The pressure is on, therefore, to make the merger work