Investing in the new resource bull market

Australian exploration and mining firms are readying themselves for forays into Myanmar following the end of decades of military rule earlier this year and the country's opening up to foreign investment.

Hecla Mining Company (NYSE:HL) has made an all-cash offer for U.S. Silver Corporations (TSX-V:USA) in a bid to scupper its proposed merger with RX Gold & Silver (TSX-V:RXE).

Faced with never ending environmental and social conflicts over mining projects, Peru's President Ollanta Humala decided yesterday to reshuffle his Cabinet… again…for the third time.

The diversified miner suffered lower realized prices across the board with copper down 14% to $3.57 a pound, its realized coal price was 26% below Q2 2011 at $202 a tonne. Zinc (-15%), silver (-24%), lead (-22%) and molybdenum (-18%) prices all declined.

Escalating costs and economic instability may be the two main reasons why mining companies worldwide are acquiring existing projects instead of starting their own, shows the latest report from global firm Ernst & Young.

Caterpillar Inc (NYSE:CAT), the world's largest earth-moving equipment maker, raised its 2012 profit forecast on Wednesday based on its quarterly profit report, which beat by far most of Wall Street's gloomy outlooks.

The Hong Kong-listed miner said on Wednesday that the start of production at Martabe marked a significant milestone for the company.

Two and a half years after an earthquake devastated Haiti, killing more than 300,000, the country could use a windfall to help in its rebuilding efforts. Now, thanks to its mineral wealth, Haiti could begin making its way out of being one of Latin America’s poorest countries.

The US Commodity Futures Trading Commission's (CFTC) four-year probe into manipulation of prices on the silver market could be over as soon as September, according to CFTC member Bart Chilton.