More than 150 internationally known writers and artists are urging Mexican President Felipe Calderon to cancel mining concessions in an area of northern Mexico considered sacred ground by the Huichol Indians.

Northland Resources S.A. (NAU.TO) is nearly 5% higher today at $1.29 a share after local officials in Narvik, Norway, approved a construction permit allowing the company to begin work on a new iron ore terminal on the Barents Sea coast.

Kalahari Minerals (LON:KAH) and Extract Resources (ASX:EXT) were both up slightly today after the companies announced they have received a mining licence for their Husab uranium project in Namibia. London-listed Kalahari has a 42.7% stake in Extract. Kalahari said in a press release that the mine lease, valid for 25 years, will allow the project to move into production and establish Husab as one of the three largest uranium mines in the world. The company states the mine would produce 15 million pounds of U3O8 per year through open-pit mining. The deposit has a resource estimate of 500 million pounds U3O8.

Canadian manufacturer's confidence is plunging, says Export Development Canada in a survey released today. EDC’s Trade Confidence Index (TCI), a semi-annual survey of Canadian exporters and investors, declined by an overall 12 per cent since the spring of 2011.

Large miners, such as Rio Tinto and BHP, are looking to enter the potash business, or expand existing operations, as they look for increased demand from developing nations such China, India and Brazil.

The Denver Post reports that Federal officials in Commerce City, Colorado are trying to contain contamination in the South Platte River near one of Suncor Energy's refineries. What material is leaking and where it is actually coming from is still to be determined. The EPA has emergency response crew working on the scene. Booms and barriers have been set up to contain the spill, which was first reported on Sunday.

The legal battle between Codelco and Anglo American is escalating. Yesterday, Chile’s state-owned copper company lodged a so-called pre-judicial preparatory measure in the 17th Civil Court of Santiago, seeking details of Mitsubishi’s purchase of a 24.5 percent stake announced on Nov. 9. The measure aims to ultimately annul the $5.39 billion deal between Anglo and Mitsubishi. While this was happening, London-based miner filed a legal action to annul Codelco’s “protection petition” presented Nov.14, which prevents Anglo from keep selling part of its assets.

Bloomberg reports that Goldman Sachs Group Inc. (GS) has released its 2012 forecast on commodities. The document predicts commodities may rally 15 percent in the next 12 months, foresees an “overweight” recommendation on raw materials and expects Brent crude to surge to highest level since 2008. In contrast, JPMorgan Chase & Co cut commodities to “underweight” last week, quoting policy failures in the U.S. and crisis-hit Europe.

De Beers' second mainland China standalone was opened earlier this week. De Beers Diamond Jewellers has opened a second store in China, in The Friendship Mall in Tianjin, its second standalone in six months.