Moody’s: Alberta’s emissions program will preserve industrial sector credit quality

After a rough 2011, uranium companies started January looking up.

In what is likely to be upbeat year for Australian mining M&A, some large Asian and U.S. companies are ready to bet on the country's coal, iron ore and uranium assets to meet booming demand for power.

TORONTO, Jan. 16, 2012 /CNW/ - Uranium One Inc. today announced record production of 10.7 million pounds and record sales of 9.9 million pounds for the full year 2011.

CTV reports the business-savvy Haisla First Nation presents a complex challenge to backers of the $5.5 billion Gateway pipeline project that would stretch for 1,170km to Kitimat in northern British Columbia while the Financial Post explains why Kitimat may have already received all the infrastructure investment it could absorb.

Novinite reported that on Saturday, miners at Bulgaria's state owned Maritsa Iztok Mines launched a symbolic protest, warning that effective strike was in store, after talks failed Friday.

Details emerging from investigations into Areva's purchase of African uranium miner UraMin are beginning to resemble a spy novel.

The Australian reports the Queensland government is going after speculative prospecting by what the state treasurer termed two-dollar shell mining companies, slapping the industry with $375 million in additional fees. Under the radical new rules competitive cash-bidding auctions for mining exploration permits will replace the flat $1,030 application fee in force currently.

Patriot Coal was beaten down more than 12% on Friday after announcing it will cut production of coking coal due to weakening global demand.

Mark Hislop, editor of the Calgary Beacon, poses the question many in the oilsands are asking these days as the future of both the Keystone XL pipeline and the Northern Gateway project continue to lack certainty.