Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc.’s $25.9 billion cash-and-stock acquisition of Phelps Dodge Corp. was approved today, a deal that would create the world’s largest publicly traded copper company.
In separate votes by shareholders of New Orleans-based Freeport and Phoenix-based Phelps Dodge, the buyout was approved by about 98 percent of the votes cast, the companies said [...]

Phelps Dodge Corp., world’s No. 2 copper producer, sees increased copper production and sales in the first quarter over fourth quarter 2006.
The Phoenix, Arizona-based mining giant expects to produce between 625 million and 655 million lbs of copper in the first quarter of 2007 and about 2.9 billion lbs for the year, said Phelps Dodge [...]

Companhia Vale do Rio Doce (CVRD) hereby announces that its investment budget for 2007 amounts to US$ 6.334 billion.
This figure consolidates planned capital expenditure of our subsidiary CVRD Inco Limited (CVRD Inco) and is the largest capex budget for organic growth in the Company’s history.
The capex budget, together with the proposal for a dividend of [...]

Arizona’s mining industry is helping to fuel the building boom throughout the Southwest.
Gypsum mines around the state, including one in Winkelman, indirectly are supplying contractors in Tucson, Phoenix, Las Vegas and other hot building markets with wallboard and cement, two essential building products.
Demand for the building materials has resulted in the expansion of gypsum [...]