Miners' profits face an unusual foe: extreme weather

Heavy rainfalls, withering droughts and other extreme weather patterns across the globe are denting miners' profits and crimping supply of iron ore, copper and other widely-used minerals as climate change roils yet another industry.

It is an unusual situation for companies that have experience operating anywhere in the world, include miles underground and at the tops of mountains and in places where temperatures often range from 38 °C to minus 18°C.