After launching its eBay bullion center in May, the online retailer published a handy infographic this summer to look at buying trends. Looking at absolute number of items sold, California leads the way, probably due to the size of the state, but on a per capita basis, Alaska comes first. The study also found that silver items were the most popular, followed by gold. Platinum was a distant third.

Chad Venzke, who was profiled by Bloomberg, has posted some how-to videos on how to bury gold in your backyard. "If you don't own it physically, in your hand and easily accessible, it's a high percentage chance that you don't own it," says Venzke in his YouTube video. The recent market turbulence and the general fear regarding the economic outlook is causing some people to cling to gold more tightly. Venzke's video has had over 8,000 views.

Inptrepid Potash (NYSE:IPI) said its prices were higher but its produdction was lower during its third quarter. The company was also forced to find new customers due to a severe drought in Texas. Announcing results on Thursday, the company believes that it produced between 165,000 and 175,000 tons of potash and sold between 185,000 and 195,000 tons of potash. Production, which was in-line with expectations, was hampered due to a scheduled shut-down for annual maintenance work at the East mine and plant near Carlsbad, New Mexico. Also, the Moab, Utah mine completed its summer evaporation season and commenced harvest in mid-September.

Ironback Zinc (ASX:IBG) announced on Thursday that Glencore International (LON:GLEN) will help the company with a US$50 million funding facility to advance […]

Republican senators and members of congress introduced a bill to counter an effort by the Department of the Interior to remove mining rights from a region in northern Arizona, which borders Grand Canyon National Park. U.S. Senators John McCain (R-AZ), Orrin Hatch (R-UT) and Mike Lee (R-UT) and U.S. Congressmen Trent Franks (AZ-02), Rob Bishop (UT-01), Jeff Flake (AZ-06), Paul Gosar (AZ-01), David Schweikert (AZ-05) and Ben Quayle (AZ-03) unveiled the Northern Arizona Mining Continuity Act on Wednesday.

The combination of White Tiger Gold (CVE:WTG) and Century Mining received approval on Wednesday from the Government of Canada under the Investment Canada Act. Century Mining will become an indirect subsidiary of White Tiger. "We appreciate the approval given by the Government of Canada. We are now one step closer to creating a larger, more diversified gold mining company with multiple properties in various stages of production and development in Canada, Russia, and Peru" said Daniel Major, President and Chief Executive Officer of Century and Dr. Geoffrey Cowley, Chief Executive Officer of White Tiger in a joint statement.

The Times of India reports that rain has disrupted operations at several coal mines in India, and several power plants are close […]

Berkeley Resources Ltd. announced that it initiated the licensing and permitting processes for development of the the Retortillo and Santidad deposits within […]

The World Gold Council release a video this summer introducing a study it commissioned on how well gold performed within someone's portfolio to protect against inflation and deflation. The findings showed that gold performed well under both scenarios, and works well as a hedge against extreme events.

The Fed believes commodity prices are off their peaks and probably won't be picking up anytime soon. Minutes of the Federal Open Market Committee, which were released today, spelled out several factors contributing against an uptick in commodity prices. "Most participants anticipated that, with stable inflation expectations, significant slack in labor and product markets, slow wage growth, and little evidence of pricing power among firms, inflation was likely to decline moderately over time. Several suggested that slowing growth in the United States and abroad made a new surge in commodity prices unlikely."

Hecla Mining (NYSE:HL) paid the U.S. Government $77 million to settle a suit involving the Bunker Hill Superfund site in the Coeur d’Alene Basin. The United States Attorney Wendy J. Olson made the announcement on Tuesday. The money will be used to pay for clean-up activities, securing natural resources, and restoring critical habitats to fish and wildlife in the Coeur d’Alene River Basin. Hecla Mining is also on the hook for an addtional $42 million for clean up costs which will have to be paid by August 2014. Hecla has also paid damages to the Coeur d’Alene Tribe and the State of Idaho.

First Majestic (TSE:FR) announced that its Q3 silver production was 4% lower from the prior quarter and 6% lower from the same quarter in 2010. The company produced 1,708,865 silver ounces in Q3 compared to 1,780,379 in Q2. In early morning trading, the company's stock was up 20 cents to $17.69 a share. The company believes that silver production should increase due to operational improvements at La Parrilla, its Mexican mine. First Majestic completed a new 1,000 tpd flotation circuit, which will replace an old 425 tpd flotation circuit and will allow silver production to ramp up in the fourth quarter.