1.   Australia is set to achieve record gold production this year, Surbiton Associates, a Melbourne-based mining consulting group, said.

2.   Other companies that could make a bid include U.S. oil company Chevron Corp. or Australian mining group Broken Hill Proprietary Co., analysts said.

3.   Representatives of farming, timber and mining groups applauded her selection, characterizing Veneman as a centrist willing to balance the interests of all sides in any policy debate.

4.   The Australian dollar pared early gains after talks between mining group CRA and trade unions broke down.

5.   The resolution of the labor dispute between mining group CRA Ltd. and Australian labor union groups was another positive for the dollar.

6.   Toronto-based Sherritt International Corp., an international mining group and one of the largest foreign investors on the island has been targeted by the U.S. law.

7.   A merger between the two companies would make Anglo the largest mining group in the world.

8.   And small-time miners, threatened by large mining groups and diminishing incomes, blocked the main island road to press for guarantees that would assure their survival.

9.   Anglo American is a major South African mining group with interests in gold, platinum, coal, base and strategic metals, and forestry.

10.   Anglo-American has interests in gold, coal, base and strategic metals and a merger with De Beers would make it the biggest mining group in the world.