ChemChina nearing buying Syngenta
According to sources for a deal worth around $42.2 billion, Chinese State Owned ChemChina is on the verge of buying Swiss seeds and pesticides group Syngenta. This marks an increased shakeup of the world’s agrochemicals industry, with China looking to increase domestic productivity. ChemChina previously bought Italy’s Pirelli, and German machinery maker the KraussMaffei Group. Click here for article
Coal miners learning to code
Miners from the Appalachian coal region of the USA are learning to code. Following the 2011 collapse of the coal market, fuelled by a global glut in supply, the Appalachian coal mining region lost 1,285 jobs, and over 26,000 in The United States. However people are finding salaries that are quite similar to when they were coal miners, leading to a push into learning these skills that will be so necessary in the near future. Click here for article.
New way to extract gold
Due to the relative lack of reactivity of gold, it is incredibly difficult to extract. With dangerous use of sodium cyanide, or recycling electronic scraps which is costly and with environmental impacts. The University of Saskatchewan team have found the use of a solution, comprising of an acetic acid, small amounts of an oxidant and another acid, could effectively extract gold without the concerns of older methods. This could revolutionise the industry, leaving the team on a figurative gold mine. Click here for article.
BHP credit rating cut
Standard & Poor’s cut BHP Billiton’s credit rating from A+ to A, with a further possible downgrade possible if they don’t sure up cash levels. This has led speculation to believe that they will slash their dividend for the first time in 15 years. The company is expected to halve their dividend causing savings of an estimated $3.3 billion. Click here for article.
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