Nautilus Minerals' (TSX:NUS)(AIM:NUS) plan to open a new frontier of seafloor resource production has taken a major step forward, with the formation of a strategic partnership with German shipping company Harren & Partner ("Harren"). A joint venture company (the "Vessel JV") is to be formed to own and operate a production support vessel which will serve as the operational base for Nautilus to produce high grade copper and gold ore at its first development project, Solwara 1, in the Bismarck Sea of Papua New Guinea ("PNG").

Northwest Community College in Smithers is preparing students for jobs in the mining industry, and boasts a high success rate, especially amongst local First Nations, reports Opinion 250 News. Their Workforce Exploration Skills Training program focusses on hand-on training, with students spending seven weeks at a mining training camp outside of Smithers.

The hands-on experience and classroom instruction includes: drill core technician training and cultural resource assessment; prospector basic training; training as a mining exploration field assistant; and industry-related safety certification. WEST has seen 80-percent of its graduates move on to jobs. About three-quarters of program participants are Aboriginal.

Seven days after putting Regent Pacific on notice that it should not withdraw its takeover offer, Regent informed BC Iron yesterday that it had entered into a binding mandate letter with Standard Chartered Bank of Hong Kong and Westpac Banking Corporation for $US155 million debt finance. BC Iron said Regent has now advised it will change its recommendation to its shareholders to vote in favour of the acquisition of all BC Iron shares.

Bolivian officials says President Evo Morales will announce on May 1 that he is dismantling Bolivian mining's "privatization model" and will nationalize former state-owned mines. Coeur d'Alene Mines announced Thursday that it has received assurances from the Morales Administration that its San Bartolomé silver mine is not targeted for any proposed mining nationalization in Bolivia.

The shares in some North American silver miners fell sharply on Thursday after Bolivia's leftist government said it might rescind concessions on four mines in the country run by Glencore International Ltd [GLEN.UL] affiliates and Canada's Pan American Silver Corp (PAA.TO: Quote)(PAAS.O: Quote).

After years of frustration, Greystar Resources shareholders successfully campaigned to dump CEO Steve Kesler and the board of directors in the aftermath of continued delays in its Angostura gold-silver project in Colombia. Greystar (TSX, AIM: GSL) has been working on the development of Angostura for 15 years, investing C$153 million thus far in the US$1 billion project.

NovaGold Resources released a prefeasibility study today on its 100%-owned Ambler project in northwest Alaska. The Vancouver-based company is exploring the sprawling 36,670-hectare property, which is host to a number of high-grade copper, zinc, lead, gold and silver deposits. According to the PEA, commissioned by SRK Consulting, the property contains 16.8 million tonnes of indicated resources, with 4.1% copper and 6.0% zinc. The inferred category contains 12.1 million tonnes of 3.5% copper and 4.9% zinc.

Hopeful prospectors and artisanal miners are searching remote areas of Sudan’s desert for a chance at riches but, the government is beginning […]

The heavy rains that have kept much of N. Australia waterlogged for months have also resulted in the suspension of one of […]