Copper

As subsidies for renewable energy are falling in the depressed European economies, which represent the world's largest market for solar technology, manufacturers have started looking to new markets and Chile seems to be the most attractive one.

Making the 2012 Olympic gold medal from pure gold would amount to $22,000 per medal at Friday's closing price of $1,585 an ounce. Event organizers baulked and opted for a mix of silver, a few grams of gold and copper for winning athletes.

"Mine disruptions, falling grades at existing mines, delays of constructing new mines are all really supportive."

Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold (NYSE: FCX) will start its $4 billion mill expansion at the Cerro Verde copper operation in Peru next year, said CEO Richard Adkerson a conference call to discuss second quarter results published Thursday.

Early results indicate approximately 100% of available common shares subscribed, generating $1.8 Billion in gross proceeds

An Argentine court ruled Wednesday in favour of suspending Famatina, a gold exploration project led by Canadian company Osisko (TSX:OSK), until a new ruling outlawing mining near glaciers is applied in the area.

Credit Suisse announced Wednesday it recruited David Hammond, the well-known mining banker from Morgan Stanley, to head up the mining and metals efforts of the Swiss bank worldwide.

Panamanian farmers in the country's rainforest regions have teamed up with environmental activists to protest the impact of Canadian mining operations on the local environment, as well as halt the construction of what is slated to be one of the world's largest copper mines by Inmet Mining (TSX:IMN).

The Vancouver-based gold junior's stock was worth a mere 7.5c when the first drill results from its Las Tres Palmas trend in the Dominican Republic was first released. By June 1 it had increased ten-fold. On Wednesday it gained another 22% after new drill results hinted just how rich the Romero discovery may eventually turn out to be.