He would be willing to consider tweaks to last year's stalled mining bill, as long as the new measure results in actual mining jobs in Wisconsin, says Gov. Scott Walker last Wednesday, Jan. 2, 2013.

BHP Billiton's project rollbacks worth USD50 billion, a significant difference from its formerly active expansion tactic, is now being seen as the latest sign that the worldwide mining boom has come to its end.

Republicans in the House of Representative have passed a bill that basically exempts silver, uranium, copper and gold mining on federal land from formal environmental assessment, consequently making it more difficult for environmental organizations