Another potentially large-scale use of silver in future is in supercapacitors, which are similar to batteries but which have the additional property of being able to release and recoup energy very quickly. They can capture energy from various sources such as wind power or solar power.

According to researchers at the Argonne National Laboratory, worldwide demand will not exceed 8 million tons, well within the recoverable 12 million tons of reserves estimated by the U.S. Geological Survey. The issue has more to do with our rising demand for electric vehicles. In 2009, worldwide Lithium production reached 120,000 tons. If electric cars achieve a 5% penetration rate by 2020, 60,000 tons of Lithium will be needed to fill the demand.

Bloomberg reports that Eduard Ogay, chief executive officer of Kazakhmys Corporation LLC, says copper prices will stay about the same.

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.

Rye Patch Gold Corp. announced that Joe Kajszo has been appointed as the company’s new CFO. Rye Patch also announces that it has retained the services of O&M Partners, LLC (“O&M”) of New York, to act as a consultant for a one-year term.

Jinchuan Group cut refined cobalt prices from RMB 300 kt/mt to RMB 290 kt/mt, down by 3% and cut tricobalt tetroxide prices from RMB 212/kg to RMB 207/kg.

Rutongo expects to double shipments to 200 metric tons a month by the end of 2012 from 100 tons currently, Michael Biryabarema, general director of the Rwanda Geology and Mines Authority said in a phone interview on June 28. The company, a joint venture between Rwanda’s government and Switzerland-based Ruddington Services AG, has increased exports from 3 tons a month three years ago, he said.

Bloomberg reported that a recent survey suggested gold demand may push prices for the metal higher. The market news is quoted as saying: Seventeen of 23 traders, investors and analysts surveyed by Bloomberg, or 74 percent, said bullion will rise next week. Two predicted lower prices and four were neutral.

British Columbia is bestowed with an impressive mineral wealth, and as a result has been one of the world’s mining capitals since the mid-1800s, producing and exporting a variety of commodities including copper, gold, silver, lead,zinc, molybdenum, and coal. From the 1950s through the early 1970s, most of the world’s major mining companies were actively exploring in the province, with several of them operating mines.

Protests against the Canadian-owned Bear Creek Mining Corporation’s (CVE:BCM) Santa Ana Silver project resulted in five people being killed by police gunfire last Friday at the Juliaca International Airport, located 160km away from the site, and contributed to a severe drop in the company’s share price. This one dramatic event is a culmination of months – or possibly years – of political unrest in the country, and represents a very uncertain future for foreign investment in the natural resource sector.

New Guinea Gold Corporation announced results from the Kavursuki Hole KUD025 at the Sinivit Project in Papua New Guinea. Bob McNeil, consultant geologist, commented: “The assay levels of molybdenum at 0.12%, tellurium at 0.076% and copper at 0.56% are very encouraging and provide further evidence that the Sinivit/Kavursuki and Magiabe Zones are part of a significant gold/copper system which could contain credits in silver, bismuth, molybdenum and tellurium.

Mammoth Energy Group Inc. (PINK:MMTE) acquires seven concessions for a total of 4695 acres of lithium concessions located in the Salar de Pujsa.