Nickel

In January last year local radio broadcaster Gerry Ortega, who fought hard for a ban on mining on Palawan was slain and now the Philippines' Department of Justice asked for murder charges to be filed against former Palawan Governor Joel Reyes and four others in connection with his death.

Chinese firms have been snapping up copper, uranium, iron ore and coking coal assets around the world, but have yet to make a big splash in nickel.

EU regulators are stepping up scrutiny of the mooted $90 billion merger of the commodities trader and coal giant and the whole vetting process could take until early 2013. That is if the deal goes ahead at all.

None of mining's top companies escaped the carnage on Thursday after a survey of manufacturing in China showed activity slowed for a fifth straight month.

Greenland Minerals and Energy Limited ("GMEL" or "the Company") (ASX: GGG.AX - News) is pleased to announce the first mineral resource estimate for the 'Zone 2' multi-element deposit. Zone 2 is the second mineral resource established in the broader project area, following the delineation of a 619 Mt resource at Kvanefjeld (March 2011).

The government of Quebec, Canada’s most indebted province, is banking on a royalty windfall from its natural-resources sector, especially mining, to help begin its long climb out of the red.

The following have all combined to limit control of foreign minerals by US companies:

Focus Metals Inc. ("Focus" or the "Corporation") (TSX VENTURE:FMS)(OTCQX:FCSMF)(FRANKFURT:FKC) and partner SOQUEM Inc. ("SOQUEM") are pleased to report the results of the fall 2011 core drilling program on the Kwyjibo Polymetallic Property (the "Property"), located in the Grenville Geological Province of northeastern Québec (see figure 1).

The Board of Western Areas (TSX:WSA)(ASX:WSA) is pleased to announce formal completion of the acquisition of 100% of Kagara Nickel Pty Ltd ("Kagara Nickel") for A$68 million.