A masterclass looking at the whole process of developing a mining project - from initial studies and designs through to operations and management – is being organised and led by Wardell Armstrong International at this year’s Minex forum from 17 to 19 April in Astana, Kazakhstan.

Charlie Ingram, Eriez® Vice President of Sales and Marketing, announces that Robertson Equipment Company of Strongsville, Ohio has earned the 2011 Merwin Award. Eriez presents this award each year to its most outstanding U.S. field sales office.

Leading provider of intuitive software solutions to the mining and exploration industry, MICROMINE will showcase its consulting services division, Micromine Consulting Services (MCS) at Mines and Money in Hong Kong from 21-22 March 2012.

The majority of existing retail electricity contracts do not factor in a cost for carbon, however they do contain clauses that allow for an adjustment to be made in the event of a carbon price being introduced. Energy Action urges businesses to review energy contracts in preparation for the carbon tax.

Murray & Roberts Cementation has been selected by De Beers as the preferred contractor to undertake the development of an underground mining operation at Venetia Diamond Mine. This project is in a feasibility stage and will be considered by the De Beers Board in 2012.

Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers (NYSE: RBA) (TSX: RBA), the world's largest industrial auctioneer, sold more than US$48 million of equipment items and trucks at a two-day unreserved public auction held in Fort Worth, Texas on March 8 & 9, 2012. Equipment highlights in the auction included three late-model, low-hour Komatsu HD785-7 100-ton rock trucks—all were sold to a single online buyer from Alberta, Canada for US$900,000 each. In total, more than 3,200 equipment items and trucks were sold in the auction-- every item was sold to the highest bidder, without minimum bids or reserve prices.

Nubian Resources Ltd. is pleased to announce that Global Geoscience Ltd (Global) and Osisko Mining Corporation (Osisko) have entered into a binding letter agreement covering Global's five gold projects in Nevada.

Oilsands Quest Inc. (NYSE Amex: BQI) ("Oilsands Quest," or "the Company") has secured a commitment for debtor-in-possession ("DIP") financing of CDN$3.75 million (the "DIP Facility"), for the purposes of funding operating costs and other expenses while the Company proceeds with its previously-announced solicitation process while under creditor protection.

Rio Tinto Alcan confirms an employee has succumbed to their injuries following an incident on the Roberval-Saguenay railway in Quebec.

CALGARY, Dec. 28, 2011 /CNW/ - Athabasca Oil Sands Corp. (TSX: ATH) is pleased to announce that MacKay Operating Corp. (MacKay Opco) has received full regulatory approval from Alberta Energy Resources Conservation Board and Alberta Environment and Water for the MacKay River commercial oil sands project.

Keeping wind turbines safely operating is becoming increasingly important as more windmills are built and America begins to use wind as larger source of energy heading into the future.

Athabasca Uranium Inc. is pleased to report the completion of its 2011 diamond drilling program at the Keefe Lake Uranium Project in the Athabasca Basin region of Saskatchewan.