Profitability of mining companies being eroded away. - According to the latest annual study on the mining industry by PricewaterhouseCoopers, profitability in the mining industry is starting to decline. Last year, the net profit margins of the 40 biggest mining companies fell by 2% to 26%, the first fall since 2003. The rush to invest in raw materials is putting the mining industry's infrastructure and supplies under pressure, explains PWC. In Australia, medium-sized mining companies saw...