Thom Calandra: Precious metals, uranium & other key commodities to watch

Billions of dollars in joint venture projects with partner Total E&P Canada will be delayed, said Suncor Energy’s new chief executive Steve Williams on Wednesday, as both companies are analyzing alternatives to improve their profitability.

Escalating costs and economic instability may be the two main reasons why mining companies worldwide are acquiring existing projects instead of starting their own, shows the latest report from global firm Ernst & Young.

Caterpillar Inc (NYSE:CAT), the world's largest earth-moving equipment maker, raised its 2012 profit forecast on Wednesday based on its quarterly profit report, which beat by far most of Wall Street's gloomy outlooks.

Stock in London-listed Berkeley Resources added 9% after announcing a deal with Enusa – Spain's state-owned nuclear enterprise.

Despite a steep drop in the price of crude on Monday with US benchmark West Texas Intermediate down almost 4% in afternoon trade at $88.55, the price oil sands producers receive has improved dramatically since the start of July.

Our acquisition programme has been on hold for some time now as gold and silver prices consolidated and the mining sector failed to sparkle. Gold has temporarily been sidelined by the pantomime that is European politics.

Equity valuations have so far failed to keep pace with rising bullion prices, but that makes for some outstanding investor opportunities among a few particularly well-positioned juniors that Rick Mills identifies as running ahead of the herd this summer.

One of Australia's leading intellectuals and a former adviser to the country's incumbent Labor Party has called for far-reaching reforms to the resource giant's mining tax and GST.

In an effort to stimulate mining exploration in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia, the local government has started offering grants of up to $100,000 to mineral prospectors and exploration companies.