LATEST NEWS

OPEN ENDED SECURITIES

ETCs explained - their structure and liquidity

Friday , 25 Jul 2008
The structure of Exchange Traded Commodities means that their liquidity reflects the overall size of the underlying commodity as they are open-ended securities; daily traded volume should not be confused with liquidity. These instruments have up to $800m of daily new creation capacity and the combined liquidity of the underlying markets in excess of $300 billion per month.
GALORE CREEK PROJECT DECISION IN FALL

Teck warns more global zinc operations may close due to metal price decline

Thursday , 24 Jul 2008
Canadian mega miner Teck Cominco CEO Don Lindsay advised analysts Thursday that hefty zinc surplus forecasts may be wrong, as they have proven to be so far this year.
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.
PHOENIX RISES

Newmont in profit again. Reports progress, cost savings at Nevada ops

Thursday , 24 Jul 2008
Newmont’s troubled Phoenix operation has been turned around, along with the company’s fiscal bottom line.
32 TONNES SOLD

Biggest gold ETF loses 4.6 percent of gold holding in two days

Thursday , 24 Jul 2008
The SPDR Gold Trust ETF which had been holding over 700 tonnes of gold has seen nearly 5 percent of the gold it holds on behalf of investors liquidated in two days in line with the sharp gold price falls this week.
FRIENDLY DEAL

Kinross Gold plans to pick up Aurelian for Ecuador gold/silver project

Friday , 25 Jul 2008
Tier 1 gold miner Kinross says it plans to take over Aurelian Resources in a friendly deal worth US$1.19 billion, primarily for its big Fruta del Norte gold and silver project in Ecuador.
NEW PUSH

Aggressive potash and uranium targets for Rio Tinto

Friday , 25 Jul 2008
Mega miner is Tinto is looking to capture 10% of the world potash market and double uranium production according to the head of the company’s energy and minerals unit
SAFE HAVEN BUYING BOOSTS PRICE

Reuters poll says average gold prices to be 30% higher this year and silver to track

Thursday , 24 Jul 2008
A Reuters poll says that average gold prices could rise by over 30% in 2008 compared wth 2007 as investors buy gold for its safe haven status.
GOOD URANIUM, BAD URANIUM

WA Liberal leader aims to overturn uranium mining ban

Thursday , 24 Jul 2008
A Liberal Party government in Western Australia would virtually immediately lift the ban on uranium mining should it win the anticipated State election due later this year.
MINING PLAN DESIGN FAULTED

MSHA levies $1.85m in fines for Crandall Canyon coal mining disaster

Friday , 25 Jul 2008
The deaths of six miners in a Utah coal mine nearly a year ago might have been prevented if the mine operator had reported previous coal bursts to MSHA, a report by the federal agency concluded Thursday.
DEMAND EXCEEDS SUPPLY

Tripled 2Q earnings for Canadian potash miner, ups forecast

Friday , 25 Jul 2008
Record demand and prices led to tripled 2Q earnings for Canada’s PCS.
MONGOLIAN COMPANIES DOMINATE

Soros Foundation releases Mongolian mining, exploration license statistics

Friday , 25 Jul 2008
Local companies have a distinct advantage in acquiring exploration licenses in Mongolia a survey by a Soros Foundation subsidiary has determined in a recent report.
NOT HAPPY WITH PRODUCTION LEVELS

Oil sands miner Suncor profits up 12 percent in 2Q

Friday , 25 Jul 2008
Record crude prices more than offset lower production at Canada’s No. 2 oil sands miner in the second quarter.
STRONGEST FUNDAMENTALS

Precious metals poll puts average platinum price up 50% this year on last

Thursday , 24 Jul 2008
Another Reuters poll, this time on platinum and palladium, shows big increase in anticipated platinum price this year compared with last and palladium up too.
COPPER OUTSIDE THE BELT

African Eagle believes Miyabi has 1m gold ounces or more

Thursday , 24 Jul 2008
African Eagle Resources says there is reason to believe there is more gold to be found at its Miyabi project in Tanzania.
BASE METALS SHOWING WEAKNESS

Nickel hits 2-year low and may dive further but zinc seen as oversold

Thursday , 24 Jul 2008
Eastern markets saw nickel dive below the psychologically significant $20,000 a tonne level for the first time in 2 years while zinc came off its floor as price seen at a level where some smelters may close.
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FAST NEWS

SANTA RITA NICKEL MINE, BRAZIL

Mirabela on target to start production by mid-2009 

BAUXITE MINING IN SIERRA LEONE

Vimetco buys Global Aluminium Ltd 

MAKING LOSS ON MINERAL SANDS

Exxaro expecting H1 net operating profit to fall 

WEAK DEMAND FOR STAINLESS STEEL

Nickel price falls 5% to 2-year low 

FEATURED MINING COMPANIES
KNEE JERK REACTION?

Gold and platinum prices take big hit as oil slumps and dollar strengthens

Wednesday , 23 Jul 2008
The sharp decline in the oil price of the past few days has dragged precious metals down with it, but this pattern may not be justified by reality.
CHAVEZ UNDER PRESSURE

New Venezuelan mining law may require majority state ownership

Thursday , 24 Jul 2008
Venezuela’s new mining law, expected to be filed within the next few weeks, may require majority stakes for the state.
78 PERCENT PROFIT FALL

Drop in zinc price outweighs gold and silver strength for Agnico Eagle 2Q

Thursday , 24 Jul 2008
Agnico Eagle’s second quarter results were sharply lower than analysts’ estimates on low zinc prices. The company also cut its 2008 gold output forecast and increased capital costs estimates and shares have dipped sharply.
POLICY CHANGE?

Crystallex expresses new hopes on Las Cristinas gold project

Thursday , 24 Jul 2008
Canadian junior Crystallex hopes that a policy change which would allow it to mine its big Las Cristinas gold mine in Venezuela may be in prospect.
ALROSA SUSTAINS EXPORT POSITION

Run of mine, run of mill - Alrosa report reveals surprises

Thursday , 24 Jul 2008
Alrosa issues IFRS report on diamond financials.
POLYMETAL OUTPERFORMS

Polyus and Polymetal post massive revenue increases on high gold and silver prices

Thursday , 24 Jul 2008
The much higher prices for gold and silver over the period, coupled with 1H production increases have led to massive revenue increases for Russia’s Polyus Gold and Polymetal precious metals miners.
SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES

Canadian potash workers may strike Friday

Thursday , 24 Jul 2008
High potash prices and ‘obscene amounts of profit’ are causing Canadian unions to be more aggressive over pay demands at three potash mines operated by Potash Corp of Saskatchewan and a strike looks increasingly likely.
OFFSHORE ACCESS CHALLENGING

USGS seeks to quantify unfathomable richness of Arctic Circle oil, gas resources

Thursday , 24 Jul 2008
The stakes are raised in the multi-national rush to claim the riches of one of the globe’s last frontiers as the U.S. Geological Survey has applied hard numbers for the first time to oil and gas resources in the Arctic Circle.
SECOND TAKE

Diamonds vs. the rest

Wednesday , 23 Jul 2008
Do the latest De Beers results provide any insight into why listed diamond stocks are performing like dogs?
OPENING AHEAD OF SCHEDULE

De Beers powers ahead with three new diamond mines

Wednesday , 23 Jul 2008
Diamond miner De Beers is opening a record three new diamond mines this year and is set to produce higher quality gems from these.

COMPANY RELEASES
   Midas releases Q4 activities report - Friday , 25 Jul 2008
   Vimetco acquires bauxite mine in Sierra Leone - Friday , 25 Jul 2008
   De Grey Mining releases June quarterly report - Friday , 25 Jul 2008
   Zambezi Resources gives quarterly report - Friday , 25 Jul 2008
   Silver Quest Resources comments on AGM - Friday , 25 Jul 2008
   Firestone drills 4m of 16.15% Zn at Torlon Hill - Thursday , 24 Jul 2008
   Norilsk Nickel reorganises management - Thursday , 24 Jul 2008


CONFERENCES