Argentina to support local uranium production — report

There is no such thing as an average miner.  There is no such thing as an average salary.  Yet we can get some idea of how well mining people are paid by looking at the average salaries for 2011 on US metal mines recently published CostMine.

There are conventionally 2,080 work hours in a year. Thus somebody earning a wage of $20 an hour gets the equivalent of a salary of about $42,000. Considering the mine manager makes about $100,000 to $150,000 a year, it is interesting to take a look at actual wages paid to miners in the United States in 2011.

Sales volumes were up 33% at Cameco, the world's largest uranium miner in Q1. Revenue increased 22% to $563 million and gross profit showed a gain of 31% to $178 million.

In what is considered a major milestone in the Indian nuclear program, the Uranium Corporation of India Ltd (UCIL) commissioned last week a new uranium mine, which may host one of the most significant reserves of the yellow material in the world.

The Opposition New Democratic Party is alleging the Liberal government of BC overpaid Boss Energy to abandon plans for a uranium mine near the Interior city of Kelowna.

Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives by mining companies operating in emerging markets in South America, Africa and Asia have become a crucial part of doing business as “above-ground risks are quickly gaining equal footing to traditional geological and engineering considerations for mining projects.”

"What is new is the growing awareness of its implications for our nation, particularly in a highly competitive world economy in which the demand for minerals continues to grow, especially in fast growing economies led by China and India."

Niger's uranium workers have downed tools over a dispute with Areva, the French nuclear power giant that owns the Imouraren mine.

TSX- and JSE-listed First Uranium (TSX:FIU) (JSE:FUM) announced it will stick with an earlier announced deal to sell the Ezulwini gold and uranium operation to Chinese-owned Gold One, with shareholders due to decide on June 13.