Iran says it has begun operations at two uranium mines and a uranium ore processing plant, furthering its capacity to produce nuclear material.

BBC: Iran unveils uranium activities at Saghand and Ardakan

In China, Japan did a great number of resource-for-infrastructure deals, where it built mines, roads, ore processing facilities, rail lines, shipping ports, and much more and took in exchange the mineral wealth that that infrastructure produced and helped to transport.

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They are exploring plant sites for processing the ore in the United States adjacent to a chemical facility that produces hydrochloric acid.

FORBES: Avalon Rare Metals Announces Shelf Registration

The principal danger for people living near Jaduguda, say environmentalists, is a 40-hectare "tailing" pond used to hold liquid and solid waste produced in the processing of the ore into yellow cake.

CNN: NUCLEAR FALLOUT

Some growth has been companies processing lower-grade ore that may not have been feasible at lower gold prices, analysts said.

FORBES: Global Output From Gold Mines In Upswing Although Some Constraints Persist

Newmont attributed the lower production to the processing of lower grade ore from stockpiles as it prepared for a new phase of mining at the vast open pit in the mountains of Sumbawa.

FORBES: Newmont Mining's Rocky Year And The Way Forward

Newmont has attributed the lower production to the processing of lower grade ore from stockpiles as it prepares for a new phase of mining at the vast open pit in the mountains of Sumbawa.

FORBES: Newmont's Revised Production Forecast In Indonesia May Cause Labor Troubles

Engineering continues on a processing plant to handle 60, 000 metric tons of ore per day, as well as associated infrastructure facilities.

FORBES: Kinross: Tasiast-Expansion Commitment To Hit $1 Billion By Year-End; Production Set For 2014