mining

Opponents contend that the lands are safeguarded by existing designations and that giving them monument status will unfairly choke off recreation, such as offroading, and small-scale mining.

An Australian mining company said it would pay the military government of Mali $160 million after the authorities detained three of its executives for over a week in a dispute about taxes.

Education is Australia's fourth biggest export, trailing only mining products.

Some spend months underground, and illegal mining has spawned a small economy providing food and cigarettes to the miners.

He was arrested last year after he protested about gold mining operations near his village.