Patterson Lake South’s still up for grabs as Fission/Denison merger fizzles

The meltdown at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant last March had uranium investors fleeing for the exits. While the nuclear fuel used to make yellowcake had enjoyed something of a renaissance (after tanking in 2008-09 due to the financial crisis) in the runup to the earthquake and tsunami that rocked Japan, all that changed in the aftermath of the quake.

Photographer Martin Foskett spliced together a video of mining equipment accidents. Apart from the maudlin and rather depressing soundtrack, the video makes for an interesting diversion and a reminder that when thing go wrong with mining equipment, they really go wrong.

US coal giant Peabody Energy posted its best-ever performance in 2011, with revenues increasing 18% to $7.97 billion and operating profit rising by the same percentage to $1.59 billion.

Cliffs Natural Resources Inc., a US iron ore and coal producer, is anticipating lower prices and volumes of iron ore shipped in the fourth quarter.

The federal government disassociated itself on Thursday from an embarrassing official policy paper that said the country’s independent energy regulator, now studying a controversial oil pipeline, is in fact a government ally.

With revenues of $60 billion last year and operations at the ends of the earth, few companies are in a better position to take the pulse of the global economy and the resource sector than Caterpillar. But what is it saying about the outlook for 2012?

The federal government is working to speed into place changes this year to expedite the regulatory review of new industrial projects. Ottawa plans to unveil new plans in “months, not years,” Natural Resources Minister Joe Oliver said in Calgary on Wednesday.

Kinross Gold was taking more punishment on Wednesday morning after its stock was downgraded and US securities litigation firm Holzer Holzer & Fistel announced it is investigating potential violations of federal securities laws by the miner over gold grades at its Tasiast property. Then at 13:30 the stock popped into positive territory after a single trade worth $72 million went through.

Labour negotiations between BHP Billiton and unions representing coal workers are at an impasse and could disrupt coal operations across Eastern Australia.