S&P/ASX 200 dives 1.37% as new COVID-19 cases rise for eighth straight week

S&P/ASX 200 (INDEXASX:XJO) dived 1.37% to 6,921.5 points by 1 pm on its worst session since late February as new COVID-19 cases worldwide increased for the eighth straight week, with a record 5.2 million infections reported in the past seven days and an alarming growth rate in young people, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that deaths also rose for the fifth straight week, pushing the global death toll to over three million. As of Tuesday morning, the current global COVID-19 caseload and death toll stood at 141,813,257 and 3,027,353, respectively. BHP achieves record output BHP Group (ASX:BHP) reported a record quarterly output of iron ore from its mines in Western Australia as the soaring price of iron approaches US$190 a tonne. The world’s largest miner has raised its copper guidance, trimmed its coal production estimates and kept iron ore and petroleum steady. BHP produced about 60 million tonnes of iron ore over the quarter, with prices remaining near 10-year highs. Top gainers Today’s top gainers on the ASX include Alta Zinc Ltd (ASX:AZI) (+16.67%), Carnavale Resources Limited (ASX:CAV) (+12.50%), Caspin Resources Ltd (ASX:CPN) (+10.39%), Comet Resources Limited (ASX:CRL) (+5.26%) and Archtis Ltd (ASX:AR9) (+5.88%). Proactive news headlines: Arafura Resources continues optimisation at Nolans NdPr Project in parallel with offtake and project funding activities Arafura Resources Ltd (ASX:ARU) (OTCMKTS:ARAFF) (FRA:REB) continues to work on optimising the Nolans Neodymium-Praseodymium (NdPr) Project in the Northern Territory of Australia in parallel with offtake and project funding activities. Walkabout Resources makes strategic shuffle of board and senior management in preparation for development phase Walkabout Resources Ltd (ASX:WKT) (FRA:N6D) has made changes to the board and senior management as part of its strategy to position itself for the next phase of development and operations at its Lindi Jumbo Graphite Project in Tanzania after recently securing debt funding. Alta Zinc continues to enhance Gorno Project in Italy as Ponente drilling returns high zinc-lead grades as well as silver Alta Zinc Ltd (ASX:AZI) (FRA:8EE) continues to be encouraged by exploration at Gorno Project in northern Italy with multiple high-grade zinc and lead intersections, along with silver, received from drilling the Ponente area of the Gorno Mine. Musgrave Minerals pockets more high-grade gold at Cue with Target 14 returning up to 12 metres at 8.7 g/t Musgrave Minerals Ltd (ASX:MGV) (OTCMKTS:MGVMF) (FRA:6MU) has received further strong results at its flagship Cue Gold Project in Western Australia with regional aircore drilling at Target 14 within the new gold corridor west of Lena returning up to 12 metres at 8.7 g/t from 66 metres. Australian Potash receives strong endorsement as Mark Creasy’s Yandal lifts stake Australian Potash Ltd (ASX:APC) is buoyed by a strong show of support from prominent Western Australian mining figure Mark Creasy whose investment vehicle Yandal Pty Ltd has exercised 100% of its unlisted options. Matador Mining generates new gold targets near Window Glass Hill deposit at Cape Ray Gold Project Matador Mining Ltd (ASX:MZZ) (OTCMKTS:MZZMF) (FRA:7MR) has generated multiple new priority geophysical gold targets near the Window Glass Hill (WGH) deposit within the Cape Ray Gold Project in Newfoundland, Canada. EcoGraf’s Kwinana Battery Anode Materials Facility granted Major Project Status EcoGraf Ltd’s (ASX:EGR) proposed Kwinana Battery Anode Materials Facility has been granted major project status, which recognises the importance of the development and supports the Australian Government’s Critical Minerals Strategy and Western Australia’s Future Battery Industry Strategy. Metro Mining maintains strong focus on sustainable development at Bauxite Hills operations Metro Mining Ltd (ASX:MMI) is maintaining its strong focus on sustainable development at the Bauxite Hills Project in Far North Queensland as it begins a new year of operations after negotiating the challenges faced in 2020 due to COVID-19.