Venezuela's Ferrominera halts mine operations on workers strike:

The strike began Thursday and is currently ongoing, according to sources. The reason for the strike is wage discussion. FMO has not responded to requests for comment. The company was producing at very low rates before the strike, affecting the hot-briquetted iron and steel sectors in the country, market sources had said in early September. The company's output in its four mines -- San Isidro, Altamira, Los Barrancos and Cerro Bolivar -- has been recorded at its lowest so far in its history. In the first seven months of 2018, FMO produced 2.7 million mt of iron ore. The company is projected to end the year with around 4 million mt. More…