Nickel

The ability of mining giant Vale (VALE.N: Quote) to execute on its capital spending plans will be paramount for its stock to rise, according to a Morgan Stanley report on Monday. Analysts Carlos de Alba and Bruno Montanari said that Peru's Bayovar, Vale's first greenfield project outside Brazil, "offers a good example that the company can deliver."

Brazilian mining company Vale has pushed out Chief Executive Roger Agnelli under heavy government pressure and is in discussions to replace him with an executive from within, local media reported on Sunday. President Dilma Rousseff has used the government's influence as a key Vale (VALE5.SA: Quote) shareholder to insist the company remove Agnelli following years of accusations it was not doing enough to bolster Brazil's economic development.

China will increase a tax on rare earths from April 1, the official Xinhua News Agency said on Thursday. The State Administration of Taxation website carried a local media report, saying the resource tax would be raised to 30-60 yuan per tonne, depending on the type of rare earth mineral, a substantial increase from the current level of 0.5-3 yuan per tonne.

Moscow - OJSC MMC Norilsk Nickel (the Company) announces today that RUSAL has once again failed gain an injunction through court. The Krasnoyarsk Territory arbitration court has rejected the request for an injunction in a lawsuit brought by RUSAL against OJSC MMC Norilsk Nickel. The suit challenged the divestment of the OGK-3 generating company for a stake in Inter RAO.

China's exports of rare earth metals burst through the $100,000-per-tonne mark for the first time in February, up almost ninefold from a year before, while the volume of trade stayed far below historical averages. China's squeeze on rare earths, which are used in a wide range of hardware including precision-guided weapons, hybrid car batteries and iPads, has forced prices up dramatically since July last year, when each tonne fetched a mere $14,405 on average.

NW Tech Capital Inc. (PINK SHEETS:NWTT) has executed an option agreement that grants the company 100% interest in a prolific platinum, copper and nickel-bearing property located in McConkey Township, Ontario. After successfully completing the negotiation process, management decided to enter into an agreement that gives the company unrestricted rights to explore resources and reserves on what is known as the Caribou Property.

Crowflight Minerals has made an out of court settlement for $7.1 million, thus paving the way for a re-opening of Bucko Lake mine by early April, The Winnipeg Free Press reported today: Crowflight Minerals Inc. is expecting to announce plans to reopen production at the Bucko Lake nickel mine in Wabowden as early as next week.

Lundin Mining Corp. (TSX:LUN) says an assessment of its Aguablanca mine suggests full operations will likely restart in 2012 after a shutdown in December due to heavy rains, according to a report in The Brandon Sun: The base metals miner says it plans to spend the year preparing the mine to guarantee the operation's viability and safety after an assessment at the nickel mine in Spain.

CB Online says Quantum Rare Earth Developments has reported discovering a large niobium deposit in southeast Nebraska. The underground carbonatite formation has potential to become one of the world's largest sources of niobium, used in high-production steel and superalloys. Watch the interview with CEO Peter Dickie on BNN.