Quebec's first diamond mine took another step forward today, with the launch of the federal environment assessment process, The Montreal Gazette reports: The Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency is accepting public comment on the project, along with suggestions of environmental issues that should be considered in the comprehensive study of the project. Image of the Renard project, by Stornoway Diamond Corp.

Canada's biggest precious metals stocks were up an average 5.5% in late afternoon trade on Tuesday led by Endeavour Silver and Silvercorp Metals which both added around 12%. First Majestic Silver was up 9% and Silver Wheaton 6%. The index with an average market capitalization of US$7.7bn was outperforming a lacklustre broader market with bellwethers Barrick and Goldcorp also making substantial gains. Weak economic news from Europe, lingering concerns about the Greek debt crisis and media reports that China may raise interest rates have lured investors back to precious metals.

Powerscreen, one of the world’s leading providers of mobile crushing, screening and washing equipment, will be showcasing and demonstrating its latest products at the Steinexpo Exhibition taking place in Homberg/Ohm, Niederofleiden, Germany, from 31st August – 3rd September on stand A5. Read more

A new report by Global Data on the top 2011 oil and gas investment destinations claims as much as 22% of the world's undiscovered and technically recoverable oil and gas could lie within Arctic territories. Oil and mineral wealth coupled with the opening of new shipping routes are transforming cities and towns in the region. Apart from the Arctic and Canada's oil sands where new projects could up current production of 1.7m bpd by another 2.7m bpd, new discoveries in Ghana, Uganda and other parts of Africa which remain largely unexplored are also attracting billions in investment from foreign oil and gas companies.

Reuters reports Afghanistan has grand plans for a vast rail network to attract mining investors, but experts say the project would simply be a new target for insurgents and warn that sovereign risk and high production costs are also deterring companies. With an impoverished economy ravaged by more than three decades of war and corruption and now bank rolled by foreign aid, Afghanistan's government has pinned its hopes of rebuilding on untapped mineral resources of mainly iron ore and copper, which it has said could be worth up to $3 trillion.

Effective July 1, Atlas Copco's Portable Air Division is changing its name to the Portable Energy Division, a name which more accurately reflects the division’s extended product portfolio. The new Portable Energy division focuses on five “pillars”, each one relating to a product group: Air (on-site compressors), Power (on-site generators), Light (on-site light towers), Water (on-site pumps), and Used Equipment.

Canadian gold explorer Romarco Minerals, which has been pioneering the possible re-opening of South Carolina as the potential location for a significant gold mining area, has received something of a setback in a U.S. Corp of Engineers requirement that it submit an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for a portion of what the company describes as "the low-functioning and impaired wetlands and streams onsite" at its exciting Haile gold mining project there. Image of the Haile gold mining area, by Romarco Minerals.

The Sowetan reports Tanzania will begin uranium mining in its southern Selous Game Reserve, Africa’s second-largest wildlife sanctuary and a Unesco heritage site (pictured), the energy minister said Tuesday. Australia’s Mantra Resources will start mining in late 2012 in the southern part of the 54,600-square kilometre park estimated to have 53.9 million pounds of uranium oxide deposits which is worth some $2.9bn at current market prices. The minister claimed that mining would only involve about 1% of the park's overall area and that income accrued from mining would help fund upkeep of the park, but environmentalists have slammed the plan.

A five-hour gun battle between Mexican marines and a drug gang in Mexico's principal silver mining state close to Fresnillo, left 15 dead raising more concerns about mine security in the area.