The Canadian Press reports a group of shareholders in copper, nickel and platinum junior miner Ursa Major Minerals is looking to gather support for a bid to oust the company's board over the underperformance of its stock on the Toronto Stock Exchange. Merchant bank Forbes & Manhattan Inc. and Inspiration Mining Corp., which is Ursa Major's largest shareholder, said Tuesday they have filed a dissident proxy circular seeking backers for a move to elect new directors at an annual meeting June 23. Ursa Major was trading up 7.4% on the TSX by mid-day Tuesday.

Columbus Gold Corporation announced on Friday the acquisition of three new projects in the Greater Mahogany Hills, bringing its total gold property portfolio in Nevada to 26, covering approximately 37,000 acres. Columbus Gold plans to complete mapping and further sampling with plans to drill target areas in late 2011 and 2012. Columbus Gold is a gold exploration and development company operating in French Guiana and Nevada. In French Guiana, Columbus Gold recently acquired an option to earn a 100% interest in the Paul Isnard gold project, which has a 43-101 compliant 1.9 million ounce inferred gold resource and substantial expansion potential.

London Stock Exchange Group and its takeover target, TMX Group, said Friday Canadian competition authorities won't challenge the proposed combination of two exchange operators. The issuance of the no action letter satisfies a condition of a Feb. 9 agreement by LSE and the company that operates the Toronto Stock Exchange to join forces in a $3 billion deal. A consortium of nine major Canadian banks and investment funds called Maple Group Acquisition Corp has made a hostile offer for TMX worth C$3.6 billion ($3.7 billion). The LSE proposal was not expected to raise any red flags from Canadian competition authorities, unlike the Maple bid.

Adroit Resources listed on the TSX Venture exchange on Monday announced the receipt of a Mobile Metal Ions Process Soil Geochemical Survey report on the Grassy Lake portion of the Red Vein Volcanogenic Massive Sulphide (VMS) property. President's comments: "I am very pleased with the contents of the MMI Report. The report strengthens management's belief that this property will yield a valuable commercial discovery. The detection of a geochemical signature for Platinum Group Mineralization has certainly come as an exciting surprise."

South African coal miner Exxaro Resources has agreed to pay AUD$123 million for Territory Resources with the goal of producing 10 million metric tonnes of iron ore a year, Bloomberg reported Monday: Exxaro offered A$0.46 a share for the iron-ore miner based in Perth, Western Australia, the companies said in a statement today. The bid, at a 64 percent premium to the closing price on May 20, was recommended by Territory’s board, they said.

On the same day the premiers of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia toured a potash mine in Penobsquis, NB's mining commissioner began hearing from residents of a nearby town who blame the mine, operated by Potash Corp. for a loss of 60 water wells about six years ago. The mining company initially provided the residents with bottled water, but the provincial government has since installed a municipal water system.

Australia needs every worker it can get if it intends to take advantage of its current mining boom, but Melvin Mansell of The Advertiser argues that a proposal to fast-track apprentice training could lead to cut corners and underskilled workers.

If industry has a strong, influential role in the process, a new system which delivers well-skilled employees in shorter time-frames might be achievable. It is imperative though, that quality, and most importantly safety, is not compromised.

A selection of underground and surface miners and mineral processing operators from Teck Resources Limited has received national certification through the Canadian Mining Credentials Program, developed by the Mining Industry Human Resources Council (MiHR) and members of the mining industry, the Kootenay News Advisor reports.

Globe and Mail columnist Gwyn Morgan argues that Canadian Universities maintain an "academic independence" paradigm that keeps graduates from training for highly skilled jobs in mining, aerospace, construction, manufacturing, forestry, and more.

Canada has the world’s highest rate of university attendance, but graduates have one of the lowest rates of finding “high skill level” employment... It’s way past time for universities to abandon their ivory towers and consider the needs of employers and the future of their students.

Janet Ecker, president of the Toronto Financial Services Alliance, discusses the proposed merger of TMX Group and the London Stock Exchange and its impact on mining and metals financing.

The proposed merger of TMX Group and the London Stock Exchange has provoked uncharacteristicallystrong and diverse reactions within the financial community. Those mixed views were clearly displayed during four days of hearings on the deal before the select committee of the Ontario Legislature. How they will judge the strong arguments for and against the deal in their report later this month is anyone’s guess. Whatever their verdict, and those of the review processes yet to come, we must remember that Toronto is the global leader in mining and metals financing, with TMX playing a significant role. With or without this deal, all sides agree on the need to retain that leadership.