Cecilia Jamasmie , Senior Editor

Canadian Yamana Gold Inc. (TSX:YRI) (NYSE:AUY)(LSE:YAU) announced a $400 million acquisition Monday of Argentina-focused junior miner Extorre Gold Mines (AMEX:XG) (TSX:XG), which has an appealing gold-silver project in the South American country, while also saying it plans to boost its dividend by 18%.

The Democratic Republic of Congo’s Ministry of Mines went on the defensive on Monday about allegedly granting mining licenses to companies with close connections to the government. It qualified those accusations as uninformed and a “double standard."

The Minerals Council of Australia (MCA) has condemned unions, saying they are running a nonsensical "race-based" campaign.

Copper dropped sharply on Friday after China's decision to cut interest rates suddenly revived fears of a slowdown in the world's second largest economy.

The Dominican Republic is soon to become more than just a sunny destination. Data published by the country’s geology society claim the Central American nation is sitting on nearly $58 billion of unexplored reserves of minerals and metals.

Announced yesterday, the government of Nunavut is in favour of uranium mining on the condition that the radioactive ore be used for peaceful and environmentally responsible purposes only.

Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Jero Wacik has denied any plans to tax thermal coal exports after hinting at the move last May.

Diamond miner and retailer Harry Winston (TSX: HW) (NYSE:HWD) says its earnings for the first quarter of fiscal 2013 tripled to $11.6 million, as sales in both its rough diamond and luxury goods segments had more lustre than a year earlier.

Silver and gold producer Coeur d’Alene Mines Corp (NYSE:CDE) (TSX:CDM) said on Thursday it had authorized a share buyback program of up to $100 million of the company’s common equity.

With the shift in research and development (R&D) policies – more grants and fewer tax breaks – announced in March by Finance Minister Jim Flaherty, the latest report from Deloitte & Touche LLP says Canada is putting the future of its oil sands industry at risk.