What to expect for 2016: Top predictions for the mining industry

Are we headed for a major stock market downturn? If so what could be the effect on gold and silver? The portents are there for problems ahead short term, but probably are positive for gold at least longer term. The global political situation, with unrest still simmering in the Midde East and the fighting in Libya, will have a continuing impact and even the slight dissent seen so far in Saudi Arabia's oil producing area does raise some serious warning flags.

Investors banking on an across-the-board rise in commodity prices this year are setting themselves up for a fall and they should instead be actively managing for winners, Investec Asset Management said. After several years of commodity prices moving largely as one, Investec's co-chief investment officer Mimi Ferrini looks favourably on active strategies that are bullish on natural gas and crude oil, while playing the interaction between the asset class and related equities, like gold mining companies.

The gold:silver ratio, which describes silver's buying power by dividing the per-ounce price of gold by that of silver, has averaged 60:1 over the past 35 years, meaning it's taken 60 ounces of silver to purchase one ounce of gold. Though with silver's most recent push to the $36/oz level, it now takes much less.

Minera Andes Inc. (TSX:MAI) unearthed 7.5 kilometres of new new high-grade silver/gold veins at its San Jose Mine, Argentina, during exploratory drilling in 2010, the company reported on Thursday. The new veins represent a 44% increase in the cumulative strike length of all veins known at the mine at the end of 2009.

Cerro Resources NL (ASX:CJO)(TSX-V:CJO) has completed its previously announced acquisition of the Namiquipa Silver Project in Mexico from Minera Tasmania S.A. de C.V. Under the Dec. 13 share purchase agreement, Cerro will acquire all of Minera's shares in consideration for 30,000 shares of Cerro. The transaction is expected to close this Friday.

Reuters writes that Executive Chairman Randall Oliphant said New Gold Inc (NGD.TO) is benefiting from near record high copper and silver prices, which […]

Minera Andes Inc. (the “Corporation” or “Minera Andes”) (TSX:MAI)(OTCBB:MNEAF) is pleased to provide a summary of the exploration results achieved during 2010 […]

Copper Canyon Resources is getting more for its Copper Canyon property along with a spin-off company to develop its other exploration assets.

Great Panther Silver Limited has updated its mineral resources at the company's 100%-owned Topia silver-gold-lead-Zinc mine in Durango, Mexico. The 2011 mineral resource estimate, by Vancouver-based Roscoe Postle Associates (RPA), comprises measured & indicated ("M & I") mineral resources of 171,000 tonnes at 864g/t silver, 1.56g/t gold, 7.53% lead and 4.37% zinc (7.44 million silver equivalent ounces), a 36.3% increase over the 2009 resource estimate.