Private investors shun mining amid “escalated investor concerns”

One of the Seven Great Wonders of the World is being threatened by mining. Reuters reports that legal and illegal mines operating below the Great Wall of China are tearing chunks of the wall away and allowing the historic landmark to crumble: About 200 km (124 miles) southwest of Beijing, in rural Laiyuan county in Hebei province, dozens of small mines are threatening the stability of the centuries-old wall as prospectors dig for copper, iron, molybdenum and nickel, state news agency Xinhua reported. Some mines have excavated within 100 meters of the wall.

Buffeted by falling copper prices and labour unrest at Grasberg, Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc. (NYSE:FCX) reported net income of $1.1 billion, $1.10 per share, compared with $1.2 billion, $1.24 per share duing the same quarter a year ago. Consolidated copper, gold and molybdenum production in the third quarter were all down compared to a year ago. Freeport sold 947 million pounds of copper, 409 thousand ounces of gold and 19 million pounds of molybdenum, compared with 1.1 billion pounds of copper, 497 thousand ounces of gold and 17 million pounds of molybdenum in the third-quarter of 2010. Regarding Grasberg Mine operations, Freeport said the impact of the eight-day strike in July 2011 and the ongoing strike, which started in September 2011, totaled about 70 million pounds of copper and 100 thousand ounces of gold. The strike has recently turned ugly with reports of sabotage and injuries.

Mercator Minerals was changing hands for $1.24, down 7.4% and a new year-low, at the opening of trade on Tuesday despite announcing record production at its Mineral Park Mine in Arizona. The counter has had a dismal year and so far is down 68% on the Toronto exchange in 2011 where it is worth $330 million. Production for the quarter totalled 10.5 million pounds of copper, 2.0 million pounds of molybdenum and 178,000 ounces of silver. Recoveries of copper and molybdenum also increased 7.3% and 3.2%, respectively to average 80.0% for copper and 77.8% for molybdenum.

TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - Sept. 22, 2011) - Franco-Nevada Corporation (TSX:FNV)(NYSE:FNV) ("Franco-Nevada") and Lumina Royalty Corp. ("Lumina Royalty") have entered into an arrangement agreement whereby Franco-Nevada will acquire all of the common shares of Lumina Royalty by way of a court approved plan of arrangement for US$60 million in Franco-Nevada common shares and US$6 million in listed Franco-Nevada warrants ((TSX:FNV.WT.A) with a C$75.00 exercise price, expiring June 16, 2017). Under the arrangement, Lumina Royalty shareholders will receive 0.03487 Franco-Nevada common shares and 0.01917 Franco-Nevada warrants for each Lumina Royalty common share held.

Avanti Mining Inc. CA:AVT -2.86% (pinksheets:AVNMF) ("Avanti" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has received assays from the next 14 holes of its 2011 drill program at the Kitsault Mine molybdenum project located in northwest British Colombia.

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwire - Sept. 20, 2011) - Empire Mining Corporation (TSX VENTURE:EPC) ("Empire") is pleased to report the final assay results for the remaining drill holes from Phase I drilling at the Demirtepe copper-gold-silver-molybdenum project located in western Turkey, where drilling in the Main Zone has consistently intercepted significant shallow mineralization in every hole completed. The most recent assays include the following significant copper-gold-silver and molybdenum intersections

The Endako molybdenum mine in British Columbia has been extended another two years, Thompson Creek Metals (TSX:TCM) said yesterday. The Denver and Vancouver-based company announced a 9% increase in mineral reserves from 286.2 million to 312.2 million pounds of molybdenum at the mine, located near Prince George, BC., meaning the mine will operate until 2028. "The updated reserves estimate illustrates the significant value of the Endako mine. The current report has revised our reserves estimates as a result of improved engineering, refined geological modeling and new drilling data. We believe the resource base at the Endako mine will continue to expand with our 2011 drilling program and future exploration," CEO Kevin Loughrey said in a statement.

Bard Ventures (CVE:CBS) was up 7.69% on Friday, bucking a down day in the markets when the S&P/TSX Composite index was down 2.34%, after the company announced drill results of 70.49 gm/t silver over 214.7m at Lone Pine Property. Bard Ventures said that the positive results received from drill hole BD-11-69 demonstrate the continuity of high grade molybdenum (Mo), copper (Cu) and silver (Ag) mineralization over a horizontal distance of 131 meters from drill hole BDQ-08-03 through BD-11-69 to BDQ-08-04.

Alaska's Pebble deposit presents big problems for Northern Dynasty, the junior Canadian miner that wants to cash out of its sole asset. Pebble has an eye-popping recoverable resource of 67 million ounces of gold and 55 billion pounds copper with some molybdenum thrown in for good measure which at today's prices is worth over $300 billion in total. The Vancouver company shares the venture with Anglo-American but the $4.7 billion development costs could be too rich even for the London-listed giant's blood. Apart from the problem of finding a heavyweight buyer for its 50%, Dynasty also faces opposition from a $150 million a year salmon fishery near the site and local environmental protesters who have enlisted the support of Hollywood celebrities like Robert Redford.