Gold

Sutter Gold Mining Inc. (TSXV:SGM) said Wednesday it will go ahead with mine and mill construction at the company's Lincoln gold project in California, according to a report by Canadian Press: The decision follows completion of an independent preliminary economic assessment that indicated "positive economics" for the project near Sutter Creek, Calif., using a base gold price of US$1,100 an ounce. The project will be financed through a $20 million prepaid gold facility from RMB Australia Holdings. Sutter has agreed to deliver a total of 53,027 ounces to RMB, at a price of approximately $950/oz.

Data out this week show the likes of Goldman Sachs and JP Morgan raking in record revenues of almost $1bn/month in commodity and other trading revenue. A recent study of mining mergers and acquisitions shows the proportion of financial firms – as opposed to other miners – taking over resource companies had increased fourfold. And perhaps the most significant indication that US banking practices honed in the property markets have arrived in minerals is news that star metals traders now command pay as high as $3 million/year.

The Financial Times reports Greek citizens are emptying savings accounts and buying gold as they brace themselves for the possibility of a sovereign default and a run on the banks. Pledges by socialist prime minister George Papandreou that his government would “save the country” have been widely discounted by the public.

"Cost inflation has been experienced at all operations," continued Mr. Stothart. "The industry is experiencing higher costs for fuel, consumables and labour in all regions this year, as well as higher royalties commensurate with the higher gold prices. Even with these higher costs, and a conservative gold price assumption of $1,200 per ounce, we believe that the projected cash flow from our operations combined with our current cash position will fund our significant three-year $1.2 billion investment to expand production at our existing gold mines and further strengthen our balance sheet."

Sulliden Gold Corporation Ltd. ("Sulliden", or the "Company") (TSX:SUE)(OTCQX:SDDDF) is pleased to announce continued positive exploration results for six new drill holes from the ongoing 70,000 metre drilling program being carried out this year on its 100%-owned Shahuindo Gold and Silver Project in northern Peru

Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, may be yet again running for President, but he has not abandoned his quest for an independent audit of U.S. gold reserves. A hearing is scheduled this Thursday before Paul's House Subcommittee on Domestic Monetary Policy and Technology on Paul's bill demanding an audit of all gold in the United States.

On Tuesday Zambia's Finance Minister mocked Zimbabwe and South Africa for planning to forcibly raise government stakes in foreign mines, saying "the Zambian miner in 1970s was a happier miner than a miner during the period of state ownership of the mines.” Under Zimbabwe's on-again off-again indigenization policy mining companies were granted until the beginning of June to submit proposals about transferring majority ownership to locals while there are growing calls within the ruling party in South Africa to move ahead with nationalization as called for in the country's Freedom Charter.

B2Gold Corp. reports a temporary shutdown of the underground workings at the Limon Mine in Nicaragua due to on-going rescue attempt of a missing worker during heavy rains and mine flooding.

According to a report by Chinese news agency Xinhua, China has been sharply increasing its output of gold and silver coins to meet seemingly ever-increasing popular demand for precious metals as people buy to protect against perceived rising inflation. Indeed it has more than doubled the maximum issuance for 2011 for some popular gold coin sizes from its previously announced levels.