Barrick ‘is back’ chairman Thornton tells shareholders

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwire - Feb. 22, 2012) - (All amounts in US dollars unless otherwise stated and all production figures are approximate)

The Zimbabwe Chamber of Mines says the government's hike of pre-exploration fees for the majority of minerals – by as much as 8,000% – together with increased royalty rates will cripple the industry.

The salaries that high school grads can pull in from mining has at least one Idaho teacher considering a mid-life career change.

Hecla Mining reported the largest resource calculation in company history today with 148 million ounces of silver reserves and 281 million ounces of resources. The silver numbers represented a 4% increase in reserves and a 13% bump in resources. Hecla also noted a 33% increase in gold resources to 597,600 ounces, while lead and zinc increased a respective 21% and 26%.

Canadian junior explorer Abcourt Mines (TSX-V:ABI) has intercepted a high-grade silver zone at its Abcourt-Barvue orebody in Quebec.

Brazillian miner Vale SA said Tuesday it is gradually resuming mining at its underground nickel operations in Sudbury, Canada.

The Washington Post reports a "stark collision of cultures" is taking place in the desert mountains of Mexico, where the Huichol Indians are trying to stop a Canadian company from starting a $100-million silver mine.

In a recent Fortune article, Warren Buffett provided a glimpse into his upcoming annual shareholder letter. Buffett used this opportunity to once again remind everyone how much he dislikes gold.

The mining industry in Nevada is becoming a catalyst for an employment revival.