Gold price rally helps producers climb world’s top 25 mining companies list

An expedition to uncover £500 million of missing artwork looted by the Nazis during the Second World War has been launched in Germany.

Tailings are materials produced from mining such as milled rock and effluents. In many cases, massive quantities of these materials, regarded as waste, are left from previous operations. Given the potential health and environmental risks associated with tailings, they could be viewed as problems or project deterrents, but then again, they could be viewed as a source of cash.

"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."

Chris Berry, founder of Mountain Partners asset management company, provided an interesting summary of the graphite space while speaking at the recent Graphite Express Conference in Vancouver.

Nautilus Minerals Inc. shares were up almost 24% this morning (TSX:NUS), after the company released solid year end results with, narrowing its full-year loss in 2011 to US$34 million.

The Canadian Association Against Impunity (CAAI), which represents several human rights groups and non-governmental organizations, filed today a last-minute plea at the Supreme Court against Canadian miner Anvil Mining Limited (TSX:AVM), on behalf of the victims of a 2004 massacre in Congo.

There is no doubt that copper mining is a big business in Arizona, supporting over 62,000 jobs and contributing about $7.5 billion to the state’s GDP. But for Arizona to retain its prominent position in the industry, and indeed for the United States to remain a significant producer of the metal, the way that state legislature and national regulations move forward on land and mining rights will be critical.

Gold’s been knocked down lately, but several enduring factors have conditioned the yellow metal for an inevitable comeback.

Silver Wheaton Corp. (SLW.TO) announced its audited results for the fourth quarter and year ended December 31, 2011. It also announced that its Board of Directors has declared its first quarterly cash dividend payment for 2012 of US$0.09 per common share.