LATEST NEWS

DON’T PANIC!

Platinum – price fall may imply otherwise, but this market’s still in a deficit

Thursday , 07 Aug 2008
Analysis of fundamentals suggests that platinum has been oversold and that the price will bounce back later in the year.
‘MOST ATTRACTIVE CONDITIONS’ FOR THE ACQUIRER

Gold mining takeovers and consolidations wave has begun

Thursday , 07 Aug 2008
Toronto’s Paradigm Capital suggests that the recent friendly takeover bids of Aurelian and Gold Eagle “underscore the importance of strategically sized sources with strong rates of return.”
XSTRATA ON THE RIP

Infancy of a platinum merger and takeover frenzy?

Thursday , 07 Aug 2008
Xstrata’s bid for Lonmin puts into play Mvela/Northam, and Anooraq, while thinking caps are now on full time at Impala, Aquarius, and many others.
ANGLOGOLD 2Q DEHEDGING LEADER

16 pc cut in global gold hedging in 2Q, but scope for further cuts now limited

Thursday , 07 Aug 2008
With AngloGold Ashanti completing most of its planned big gold dehedging programme in the second quarter, the scope for further major gold dehedging in the remainder of the year is limited.
BARGAIN BASEMENT PRICES?

Copper stocks: ripe for action

Thursday , 07 Aug 2008
There is little question that the copper sub-sector offers the biggest diversion between metal prices (firm) and listed stocks (bombed out).
575,000 PGM OUNCES IN 2009

Aquarius Platinum tackles weak spot as profits and dividends rise

Thursday , 07 Aug 2008
CEO Stuart Murray says the company will turn around industrial relations in South Africa in six to twelve months.
DIVERGENT PERFORMANCE

Winners and losers in the base metals market

Wednesday , 06 Aug 2008
Views on the prospects for base metals from Natixis Commodity Markets – the London based commodities research arm of French Bank Natixis.
PROSPECTS, PROBLEMS AND PITFALLS

Minefields in LatAm - Not everything that ticks goes "boom"!

Thursday , 07 Aug 2008
A very comprehensive and personal view of the Latin American mining scene on a country by country basis.
$6.2 BN EBITDA

Iron ore boosts Vale 2Q profits by 22.3 percent

Thursday , 07 Aug 2008
Mega miner Vale’s second quarter profits rose year-on-year due to strong iron ore production and sales, but income from nickel mining fell dramatically.
THREE WISE MONKEYS PUT PREMIUM ON NORILSK NICKEL

Is Prokhorov offering to sell someone else's stake in Norilsk Nickel?

Wednesday , 06 Aug 2008
Prokhorov offer to Potanin twists Deripaska's tail as Russia's leading miner goes on the block, again.
111% INCREASE IN 1H08 REVENUE TO $696M

Yamana Gold reports 83% increase in revenue to $336.9m in 2Q08

Wednesday , 06 Aug 2008
A conference call is scheduled Thursday to discuss Yamana Gold’s first half 2008 and second quarter 2008 financials, which include double digit growth in revenue.
OPERATIONAL PROBLEMS

Another cut in 2008 platinum sales forecast by Lonmin

Thursday , 07 Aug 2008
As Lonmin says it will vigorously defend Xstrata’s bid for the company, which it describes as opportunistic, its case is not helped by yet another cut in its official 2008 platinum sales forecast.
PENSION, RETIREMENT DISPUTES

Two killed in miners protest prior to Sunday’s Bolivian recall election

Thursday , 07 Aug 2008
Two persons are dead while dozens have been injured in mining-related violence prior to Bolivia’s presidential and gubernatorial recall election Sunday. The clashes are related to a dispute over pensions and a lower retirement age.
ARCTIC JURISCTION AND BOUNDARIES

Durham University Arctic map plots new 'gold rush'

Thursday , 07 Aug 2008
UK’s Durham University draws up maritime jurisdiction and boundaries claims in the Arctic region.
EXPANSION PLANS FOR LONMIN AND ELAND

Xstrata claims support from disgruntled Lonmin shareholders in big platinum bid

Wednesday , 06 Aug 2008
Xstrata CEO Mick Davis said during a teleconference today that Lonmin’s major shareholders have grown impatient with significant operating problems at Lonmin and supported its cash bid.
OPPORTUNISTIC BUYING

Respite from gold fall while platinum also recovering

Wednesday , 06 Aug 2008
Precious metals have recovered a little from their recent falls on bargain hunting and the Xstrata bid for Lonmin reviving confidence and buying interest in the platinum sector.
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FAST NEWS

OVERALL MINERAL PRDUCTION FELL BY 5.4%

SA gold output falls 12.3% yr/yr in June 

HIGH PRICES OFFSET LOWER OUTPUT

Aquarius posts 25% jump in FY net profit 

JV WITH DE BEERS TO START MINING BY 2010

Endiama expects to produce 17 million carats by 2010 

FEATURED MINING COMPANIES
50 PERCENT INTEREST

Xstrata makes yet another platinum move

Wednesday , 06 Aug 2008
Xstrata, which announced a bid for platinum producer Lonmin today, has also acquired an option to take a 50% interest in Nkwe Platinum’s “attractive properties” on the eastern limb of the Bushveld.
DIGGERS & DEALERS

AngloGold’s Cutifani reckons Australia's carbon tax a serious problem for gold producers

Wednesday , 06 Aug 2008
AngloGold Ashanti’s chief executive Mark Cutifani, who learned a large part of his mining and corporate skills in Kalgoorlie, told the final day of Diggers & Dealers that Australia’s gold industry must have its voice heard on the Federal Government’s proposed carbon trading taxation.
ONE TIME CHARGES

Hecla records big book loss due to abnormal items but silver output rises 60%

Wednesday , 06 Aug 2008
Saying that it was “certainly a quarter that changes the company,” Hecla CEO Phil Baker noted a number of abnormal items during 2Q08 that resulted in a combined charge of $39.3 million, along with a $44.3 million loss.
IMPORT LIMITS, PRICE CONTROLS CONSIDERED

Controlling soaring iron ore prices proves a headache for both China and India

Wednesday , 06 Aug 2008
China is considering controlling iron ore imports, while India ponders a moratorium on iron ore prices as both nations try to cope with sky-high iron ore prices.
DIGGERS AND DEALERS

Outstanding gold hedge book still holding back AngloGold profitability

Wednesday , 06 Aug 2008
In comments at the Diggers and Dealers convention, Mark Cutifani, AngloGold Ashanti’s CEO reckoned the company’s outstanding hedge position will mean it will only achieve about 80 percent of value of this year’s gold sales
42 PERCENT PREMIUM

Xstrata to bid for world's No. 3 platinum miner Lonmin

Wednesday , 06 Aug 2008
Demonstrating its confidence in the global platinum market, Xstrata says it is to launch a $10 billion bid to take over Lonmin – the world’s third largest platinum producer.
TIME TO BOTTOM PICK?

Mining and oil stocks. Wreckage in the fast lane

Tuesday , 05 Aug 2008
From record highs, the world’s top 20 mining stocks have now surrendered USD 667bn in market value; the top 20 oil stocks have lost USD 943bn.
$6.5 BILLION CASH AND 35.2% STAKE IN POLYUS

Norilsk Nickel/Polyus Gold stock deals clarify respective ownerships

Tuesday , 05 Aug 2008
Mikhail Prokhorov will sell an additional 16.66% stake in Norilsk Nickel to Vladimir Potanin, in return for $6.5 billion in cash and a 35.2% stake in Polyus Gold.
LONG-TERM INVESTMENT NEEDED

Hope only flickers for South African gold industry

Tuesday , 05 Aug 2008
The Fortis Yellow Book says if challenges are managed well the SA gold industry does not have die a slow death, but could rather see a graceful decline over 40 years.
A THUNDER OF SILENCE

Did your grandmother steal sheep?

Tuesday , 05 Aug 2008
Did she also steal the thunder from the stock price performance of 252 listed gold, platinum and silver stocks?

COMPANY RELEASES
   Lonmin releases Q3 production report - Thursday , 07 Aug 2008
   De Beers' Oaks mine in a ‘show case’ closure - Thursday , 07 Aug 2008
   Fortis hedging and financial gold report Q2 2008 - Thursday , 07 Aug 2008
   Gabriel Resources provides second quarter report - Thursday , 07 Aug 2008
   Discovery defines copper anomalies at Quirinus - Thursday , 07 Aug 2008
   S&P: Xstrata placed on CreditWatch negative - Thursday , 07 Aug 2008


CONFERENCES
   Denver Gold Forum  -Denver, USA  -
   Las Vegas Hard Assets Conference and Exhibition  -Mandalay Bay Hotel, Las Vegas  -
   Resource Investors Forum 2008  -St. Johns, Newfoundland, Canada  -
   MINExpo 2008  -Las Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA  -
   2nd Global Capital Conference and Exhibition  -Glaziers Hall, City of London UK  -
   Toronto Resource Investment Conference  -Metro Toronto Convention Centre, Toronto, Canada  -
   Gold Investment Summit (UK)  -London Padington Hilton, London, UK  -
   Silver Investment Summit (UK)  -London Paddington Hilton, London, UK  -
   The World Money Show London  -QE II Conference Centre, Westminster, London, UK  -
   World Platinum Congress 2008  -RoyalGarden Hotel, Kensington, London, UK  -

MOST READ STORIES

PALLADIUM MOST VULNERABLE

Gold, silver, platinum group metals - slip, slip sliding away

Saturday , 02 Aug 2008
For the moment precious metals prices are sliding - in line with the weakr oil price, but this is more justifiable for some rather than others.
RUSSIA'S ARMZ FLEXES MUSCLE

Russia's ARMZ has new uranium reach

Wednesday , 30 Jul 2008
Russian state uranium miner now no.2 in control of world uranium resources.
OUTPERFORMING MOST

While silver ETFs outperform relative to gold, miners continue to suffer

Tuesday , 29 Jul 2008
Silver ETFs have decoupled from the depressing price movements of increasingly hammered listed silver stocks.
FUNDAMENTAL GOLD OUTLOOK

Is gold's big season in sight?

Monday , 28 Jul 2008
Analysts at RBC Capital Markets look for gold bullion to consolidate, and then make another run at $1,000 an ounce in September-October 2008.
SEEKING THE LOST ARK

Kinross Gold takes Aurelian: who's next in the gold accumulator?

Friday , 25 Jul 2008
Around the world in a few ticks, with Greystar, Centamin Egypt, Andean, Red Back, Great Basin Gold, Detour, Novagold, and some others.
SHARE PRICE CRASH AS PUTIN ATTACKS

Russian steel and coal proprietors under the knout

Friday , 25 Jul 2008
Mechel metal & mining group threatened by price-rigging charge.