As the demand for rare earth metals continues to grow, and supplies are threatened by international tensions, the US is turning to Africa to develop mining projects.

Artisanal mining often receives a lot of criticism, but the industry is also vital to the 40 million miners around the world who work in it. We spoke to PACT, a charity that is looking to emphasis the vital role the industry plays and improve it for artisanal miners. In the Philippines, efforts to improve the industry are already underway, as demonstrated by a new law exempting registered small-scale miners from excise and income taxes when selling their gold to the country’s central bank.

From the DRC to Peru, mines often turn to the military for protection, but how effective such actions are highly debated. We take a look at the balance of benefits and risks when the military gets involved in mining.

Finally, we ask whether silver has lost its lustre, look at a project aiming to clean up water in Cornwall, and find out how you move a town to save a mine by looking at the Swedish town of Kiruna.

Join the conversation on Twitter: @MINE_Magazine.

Molly Lempriere, editor