Saudi Arabia’s investment mining fund is set to buy a stake in Pakistan’s Reko Diq project, which will be one of the world’s largest copper mines once complete, as the kingdom accelerates its expansion into the sector.

Pakistan’s deal with Saudi Arabia for the sale of a stake in the copper and gold mining project controlled by Barrick Gold Corp. is still in the process of negotiating key details, including where the minerals will be processed.

Saudi Arabia's investment mining fund is set to buy a 10%-20% stake in Barrick Gold's (NYSE:GOLD) $9B Reko Diq copper and gold project in Pakistan, Financial Times reported Tuesday, as the kingdom seeks to accelerate its expansion into the copper sector.

Rescuers and volunteers have pulled at least 78 dead miners and more than 160 survivors from an abandoned South African gold mine

The South African government has launched a rescue operation at an abandoned gold mine in the country’s North West province, where at least 109 men have died, a group representing the miners said, after local authorities cut off vital supplies in a dramatic bid to crack down on the country’s illegal mining trade.

Arguing that the miners had entered the mine without permission, authorities reportedly cracked down by cutting off their access to food and water.