Gold

It seems that the mainstream investment community only takes a break from ignoring gold to berate it: one of gold’s most outspoken critics, uber-investor Warren Buffett, did so recently in his latest shareholder letter. The indictments were familiar; gold is an inanimate object “incapable of producing anything,” so any investor holding it instead of stocks is acting out of irrational fear.

Canadian miner NovaGold Resources Inc. (TSX:NG) said today that it has begun the process of trying to sell its 50% stake in the Galore Creek copper-gold project in British Columbia, in order to fully focus on its flagship Donlin gold project in Alaska, in a stament announcing its poor Q4 results.

Stocks struggle Wednesday morning as risk trades were daunted by dreary economic activity figures on both sides of the globe and the Greek post-deal aftermath.

The $2.5 billion deal saw European Goldfields add 6.4% in afternoon trade on Tuesday while Eldorado gained 6% to bring their combined market value to $10 billion.

On much heavier volumes than usual Grizzly Discoveries shed 3c or 6.52% by midday Tuesday. Before the market open the Edmonton-based company announced a potash discovery near Medicine Hat in Alberta Canada that wasn't as exciting as investors had clearly hoped – drilling yielded potash grades up to 31.1% K2O, but only over 0.3 metres.

The Zimbabwe Chamber of Mines says the government's hike of pre-exploration fees for the majority of minerals – by as much as 8,000% – together with increased royalty rates will cripple the industry.

Caledonia Mining announced on Monday it has signed a deal with the Zimbabwe government to sell 51% of its Blanket mine to indigenous Zimbabweans for $30 million. The purchase price will be paid to Caledonia from future Blanket dividend payments.

Brazilian copper developer Avanco Resources (ASX:AVB) said today that it would double the company’s copper gold resources through the acquisition of the Pedra Branca Copper-Gold Project in Brazil's Carajas Mineral Province from Xstrata Copper.

At last count four law firms say they are filing class action lawsuits stemming from Kinross Gold's decision to take a non-cash goodwill impairment charge of nearly $3 billion.