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.

The Sudbury Area Mining Supply and Service Association argues that Ontario must make Laurentian University into a global "Harvard of hardrock mining" in order to carry Canada through its current resource skills shortage.

Ontario’s mining industry is facing a perfect storm of skills shortages – mining engineers and geologists – at a time of severe provincial budget constraints. These fiscal problems will only diminish the mineral sector’s post-secondary education programs at a time when global economies are experiencing the most extraordinary demands for metal products in the history of mankind – a commodity super cycle

Rita Trichur, writing in Saturday's Globe and Mail, goes behind the headlines in discussing the $6.3 billion bid by China Minmetals to take over TSX-listed Equinox Minerals. The bid, Trichur writes is emblematic of an emboldened, more savvy China, as the country seeks to gain control over mineral resources in Africa.

Inmet Mining is holding firm on the proposed friendly merger with Lundin Mining, saying there are significant risks associated with the hostile Equinox offer for Lundin announced last week. Inmet continues to believe the proposed merger of equals between Inmet and Lundin to create Symterra provides superior benefits to shareholders of both Inmet and Lundin without the risks associated with the Equinox offer, Inmet stated on Thursday.

Northern Star Resources (ASX:  NST) said the resource inventory at its Paulsens Gold Mine in Western Australia has increased to 226,000 ounces while […]

Laconia Resources, a Perth-based exploration company, purchased Jabiru Metals Limited (ASX: JML) equity in the Lennons Find Base Metal project in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. Laconia made the announcement on Wednesday in a statement. Laconia also agreed to purchase Shaw River Resources (ASX: SRR) 100% interest in the nearby Yandicoogina project, located less than 10km along strike from the Lennons Find project.

CBC reported that there will be a series of public forums held across Nunavut to guage the public’s views about uranium mining.

Australia-listed EnviroGold Limited and Novus Gold Corp., which trades on the TSX, have signed a purchase-option agreement concerning Novus Gold’s properties in […]

The company behind a large copper-gold mining project in the Phillipine province of South Cotabato is cautiously optimistic that a mining ban imposed last year will be overturned. GMA News reports: A large-scale mining company on Sunday expressed optimism that the South Cotabato provincial government will lift its ban on open-pit mining and allow the $5.2-billion Tampakan copper-gold project to proceed by 2012. Sagittarius Mines, Inc. (SMI) made the statement as its petition to withdraw the ban – which former South Cotabato governor Daisy Fuentes imposed last year – has moved up to the provincial council’s final review. The current governor of South Cotabato, Arthur Pingoy, told Reuters last week that a review of the ban is possible, but with a slim chance it would be overturned.