Centamin gold output falls 13% in 2018 on decline at flagship mine

Azure Minerals, a Mexico-focused precious and base metals explorer, said today it has entered into an agreement to form a joint venture with a Japanese state-owned corporation to explore the El Tecolote Project in Sonora, Mexico. According to the press release, Japan, Oil, Gas and Metals National Corporation (JOGMEC), a Japanese state-owned entity, will spend $US5 million over three years, in order to earn a 51% interest in El Tecolote. The company can earn another 19% stake by spending a further $8 million, which would take its total equity in the project to 70%.

Mongolia's massive Oyu Tolgoi copper-gold project is expected to begin production in August 2012, sooner than forecast, said Temuulen Ganzorig, Deputy Director of Erdenes MGL which partners with Ivanhoe Mines and Rio Tinto in developing the site.

The world copper market could see a supply deficit of half a million tonnes this year and the shortage may extend beyond 2013, Rio Tinto's (RIO.L: Quote) copper unit chief executive, Andrew Harding, said on Wednesday.

Tosca Mining Corp. (TSQ - TSX Venture, TQ4 - FWB), reported today it has completed the due diligence on the Red Hills Moly-Copper Project and has signed a formal agreement to purchase the 100% ownership of all mineral and surface rights of the property. The agreement calls for payments of US$10,900,000 and the issuance of 2.1 million common shares to the sellers of the property over a five year period. The sellers will retain a 2% net smelter return over the Red Hills property.

Copper will resume a rally to record highs near $11,000 per tonne in the second half of this year, driven by an ongoing production deficit and robust investment demand, an industry report said on Tuesday.

Miners, especially of base metals, will drive Canadian merger and acquisition activity for the rest of 2011, although oil and gas and financial services will also be significant, bankers said on Tuesday.

Natural resources have become a battleground in Peru’s election campaign where the left wing nationalist frontrunner wants more state control over country’s […]

Finning International has announced that its Canadian division has been selected as the mining equipment supplier by Thompson Creek Metals Co for […]

Equinox’s hard-fought battle for Lundin may be aborted by a financially superior hostile bid for Equinox by China Minmetals’ subsidiary Minmetals Resources.