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Agnico-Eagle Mines<br> The purchase: Junior explorer Cumberland Resources Ltd. for $710-million in 2007.<br> The problem: Agnico-Eagle suddenly realized its Meadowbank mine in Nunavut would cost a bundle to develop.<br> The writedown: $644-million last February.NATHAN DENETTE/The Canadian Press

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BHP Billiton Ltd.<br> The purchase: Fayetteville shale gas assets in the U.S. for $4.75-billion in 2011.<br> The problem: Falling natural gas prices interrupt BHP’s growth strategy.<br> The writedown: $2.84-billion last year.Reuters

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Barrick Gold Corp.<br> The purchase: Equinox Minerals Ltd. for $7.3-billion in 2011.<br> The problem: The prized Lumwana copper mine in Zambia turned out to be a cash drain as extraction costs rose. Copper prices fell, too.<br> The writedown: $3.8-billion this week.HO/Reuters

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Newmont Mining Corp.<br> The purchase: $1.5-billion for Hope Bay project in Nunavut in 2007.<br> The problem: After initial optimism, Newmont deems it too expensive to delve into one of the largest undeveloped gold sites in North America.<br> The writedown: $1.61-billion last year.

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Rio Tinto<br> The purchase: Alcan Inc. for $38.1-billion (U.S.) in 2007.<br> The problem: Rio Tinto paid top dollar for Alcan at the peak of the commodity cycle. Demand slowed and aluminum prices slumped.<br> The writedown: $14-billion last month. The aluminum portion of the charge, roughly $11-billion, raises Rio’s total Alcan writedown to about $30-billion, or almost 80 per cent of the purchase price.CHRISTINNE MUSCHI/Reuters

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Anglo American PLC<br> The purchase: Minas-Rio iron ore mining project in Brazil for $5.2-billion in two deals in 2007-08.<br> The problem: Iron ore prices tanked. Anglo has shelled out $3.8-billion on Minas-Rio, with another $5-billion planned.<br> The writedown: $4-billion this week.Reuters

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Cliffs Natural Resources<br> The purchase: Consolidated Thompson Iron Mines Ltd. for $4.9-billion (U.S.) in 2011.<br> The problem: Iron ore prices are driven by Chinese steelmaking.<br> The writedown: $1-billion in January.

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Kinross Gold Corp.<br> The purchase: Red Back Mining Inc. for $7.9-billion in 2010.<br> The problem: Valuation slashed at the Tasiast mine in Mauritania as capital and operating costs increase in industry.<br> The writedown: $5.6-billion, including $3.1-billion this week and the rest from last year.

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