Colombia bans mining in country’s vast moorlands

The total gold reserves of central banks worldwide fell by 9.6 per cent between 2000 and 2008 but has subsequently increased by 2.2 per cent from 29,870 tonnes in 2008 to 30,535 tonnes at the end of 2010. This is mainly a result of rising demand for gold from central banks with surplus liquidity in some emerging markets, such as China, India, Russia and oil producing countries in the Middle East region.

Mexican mining production rose 22% in April from the year-ago month, led by a big jump in output of copper, the National Statistics Institute, or Inegi, said Thursday. Copper production rose 77% to 32,324 metric tons.

Silver and gold prices fell further at the bullion market on moderate selling by stockists and investors amidst continuing bearishness in the global markets. Silver ready (.999 fineness) declined by Rs 125 per kg to end at Rs 51,585 from Friday's level of Rs 51,710.

The gold and silver markets are still in high risk territory vulnerable both ways. At the moment the direction of gold and silver, in the euro and the dollar is down.

The Osama bin Laden household in Pakistan's Abbottabad town used to buy and sell gold jewellery, perhaps as a way to raise money, it has emerged. Nearly two months after bin Laden was killed by US Navy SEALs who raided his Abbottabad hideout in the early morning hours of May 2. Photo is from the U.S. Government.

China's first precious metals spot exchange began trading Tuesday in Chengzhou in Hunan Province. The Hunan South Rare Precious Metals Exchange is based in China's silver capital in Yongxing County. Its first four products to be listed are silver, bismuth, indium and tellurium.

Melkior Resources Inc. announced assay results from six new holes from the 2011 diamond drill program on its 100% owned Carscallen gold project, located 5 kilometres west of the Timmins Gold Deposit and recent Thunder Creek gold discovery. All holes intersected multiple intervals of anomalous gold mineralization; the highlight was hole CAR-71-2011, which intersected one of the widest, high-grade gold intercepts to date from the property and returned 13.25 metres at 5.10 g/t gold from the Shenkman Zone at a vertical depth of 200 metres.

China’s massive appetite for commodities is creating concerns for the global economy, the environment and workers in other countries. In a series of reports, VOA is looking at the economic power modern China wields. Chinese government and company officials are signing agreements at a dizzying pace around the world, including in places where few other foreigners invest.

Canada’s Bear Creek Mining Corp. threatened legal action Monday after the Peruvian government cancelled the company’s plans for a silver mine in the country’s southern highlands. The Vancouver-based company said it hoped a political solution could be found, but that it would "vigorously defend" its rights.