Venezuelan lawmakers approve a sweeping mining bill to lure foreign investors

CARACAS, Venezuela — Venezuelan lawmakers on Thursday approved a bill to regulate the country’s mining as it seeks to attract leery foreign investors to a once-private industry that has long been exploited by criminal groups with ties to the government. It is the latest legislative initiative by acting President Delcy Rodríguez since the self-proclaimed socialist … Read more

Disease once linked to mining hits workers in countertops industry

César Manuel González, 37, used to work with stone that was engineered to endure: dense, polished slabs designed to outlast the kitchens in which they were installed. Engineered quartz countertops have surged in popularity in the home renovation market, with industry analysts estimating the global engineered stone market at around $30 billion. It’s continuing to … Read more