Waste molybdenum ore spill in China spreads 110 km downstream

Australian copper producer OZ Minerals has struck a deal with Canada's International PBX Ventures for a 90% interest in the Copaquire copper-molybdenum property in Chile.

Northern Dynasty Minerals Ltd. ("Northern Dynasty" or the "Company") (TSX: NDM; NYSE Amex: NAK) announces that the Board of Directors of Pebble Mines Corp., the general partner of the Pebble Limited Partnership (the "Pebble Partnership" or "PLP") has approved a budget of approximately US $107 million to advance the Pebble Project in 2012, with the objective of readying PLP to initiate permitting under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) toward the end of the year.

Inmet Mining Corporation (TSX:IMN) has launched a $1 billion senior unsecured notes offering as part of a total finance plan for the $6.18 billion copper/gold/molybdenum project Cobre Panama.

Teck Resources fought against lower metals prices to post record revenues for the first quarter.

Avanti shares rose 20% Thursday after the Vancouver company secured $640 million in financing for its Kitsault molybdenum mine.

"With over 5 billion pounds of copper estimated at the indicated level and another 3.5 billion pounds estimated at the inferred level, Ann Mason should now be recognized as a significant deposit in one of the best mining jurisdictions in the world."

China Molybdenum Co. (HKG:3993), the country’s largest producer of the element by output, plans to launch an initial public offering in Shanghai, which may raise around 3.65 billion yuan (US$579 million), to fund its new alloy project and boost output, according to a statement to the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC).

Shares of Chilean miner Antofagasta PLC (LON:ANTO) were down 3.1% this morning after the company disappointed market hopes for a whopping special dividend and announced instead a cut on dividends and an increased spending on growth projects.

Molycorp's mould-breaking deal with Neo Material Technologies sent its shares rocketing in New York on Friday and some industry observers say the tie-up creates a vertically integrated company that will transform the industry. Others see REE prices continuing to drop with some already down 70% and China's grip on the market undiminished – exports could double this year and domestic production continues to ramp up.