The secrets of junior mining private equity risk managers

Uranium Resources does not expect to return to production in Texas in 2011 given current uranium pricing, unfavourable sales contracts and less than lucrative resources that are available. Uranium Resources made the statement in its 2011 first quarter update on Thursday. Instead the company is focused on reclamation activities in Texas since its two remaining operating wellfields were fully depleted in June 2009.

Toronto- and Johannesburg-listed Uranium One, which boasts the lowest production costs in its industry, has reported record quarterly revenue, of USD 101.9m, for first-quarter 2011, based on sales of 1.7m pounds of uranium at average sales prices of USD 61/lb, and total cash costs of just USD 14/lb.

Uranium miner Paladin Energy believes it will not be affected by planned changes in Namibia's policy on ownership of strategic minerals after the government said existing licenses would not be affected. "Paladin has welcomed this clarification, which removes any uncertainty over its operations in Namibia," the company said in a statement to the Australian Securities Exchange.

Cameco announced Q1 results on Friday. Net earnings came in at $91 million compared to $143 million a year ago. The company said the decline was due to lower earnings at all its electricity, uranium and fuel services businesses and an increase in average cost of product sold. The company said production volumes were 23% lower this quarter due to lower production at McArthur River/Key Lake.

Extract Resources said on Monday it was confident that the Namibian government's proposed policy changes on strategic minerals will not affect its Husab uranium project license. The Namibian government is expected to hold a news conference this week to clarify plans to assign almost all mining and exploration rights to a state-owned company.

Paladin Energy Ltd. (TSX:PDN)(ASX:PDN) ("Paladin" or the "Company") advises that Wyatt Buck, Executive General Manager – Production will be leaving Paladin in May. He has decided to change direction and depart the uranium sector, taking a senior role with a company focussed on other commodities. We wish Wyatt all the best in his new venture and, on behalf of myself, management and the Board, sincerely thank him for his contribution and dedication over the past 5 years during a time of great growth for the Company.

Brazilian Gold Corporation (TSX VENTURE:BGC) ("Brazilian Gold" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the closing of its previously announced bought deal private placement, including the full exercise of the $3,003,000 Underwriters' option (the "Offering"). Under the Offering, the Company issued an aggregate of 16,445,000 common shares (the "Common Shares") of the Company at a price of $1.40 per Common Share for gross proceeds of $23,023,000. The Company intends to use the net proceeds of the Offering to advance the Company's gold projects in Northern Brazil, and for general corporate purposes.

Greg Hall, managing director of Toro Energy Ltd (ASX: TOE), said the main nuclear power countries are continuing their new build programmes for nuclear power while adapting to lessons learned from the incident. The uranium spot price dropped significantly after the incident but had, by the end of the March quarter, returned to the December 2010 average of $US62.50 per lb of U308.

Tournigan Energy Ltd. (TVC: TSX-V; TGP: Frankfurt) has updated its resource estimate for the Kuriskova uranium deposit in Slovakia. This NI 43-101 compliant updated estimate increases the amount of uranium contained in the Indicated Resource by 39% to 28.5 million pounds of U3O8 and increases the overall size of the deposit. Tetra Tech, Inc., the firm that is conducting the ongoing Prefeasibility Study on Kuriskova, has reviewed, audited and approved the updated resource estimate.