Silver

"With over 5 billion pounds of copper estimated at the indicated level and another 3.5 billion pounds estimated at the inferred level, Ann Mason should now be recognized as a significant deposit in one of the best mining jurisdictions in the world."

Chris Berry, founder of Mountain Partners asset management company, provided an interesting summary of the graphite space while speaking at the recent Graphite Express Conference in Vancouver.

Nautilus Minerals Inc. shares were up almost 24% this morning (TSX:NUS), after the company released solid year end results with, narrowing its full-year loss in 2011 to US$34 million.

The Canadian Association Against Impunity (CAAI), which represents several human rights groups and non-governmental organizations, filed today a last-minute plea at the Supreme Court against Canadian miner Anvil Mining Limited (TSX:AVM), on behalf of the victims of a 2004 massacre in Congo.

There is no doubt that copper mining is a big business in Arizona, supporting over 62,000 jobs and contributing about $7.5 billion to the state’s GDP. But for Arizona to retain its prominent position in the industry, and indeed for the United States to remain a significant producer of the metal, the way that state legislature and national regulations move forward on land and mining rights will be critical.

Gold’s been knocked down lately, but several enduring factors have conditioned the yellow metal for an inevitable comeback.

Silver Wheaton Corp. (SLW.TO) announced its audited results for the fourth quarter and year ended December 31, 2011. It also announced that its Board of Directors has declared its first quarterly cash dividend payment for 2012 of US$0.09 per common share.

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.

There are few, if any, reports of damage to mines hours after a large earthquake rocked central and southern Mexico on Tuesday.