QUEBEC CITY, QUEBEC--(Marketwire - Nov. 8, 2011) - Robex Resources inc. (TSX VENTURE:RBX)(FRANKFURT:RB4) is pleased to announce the excellent results of the feasibility study for its 100%-owned Nampala project located on the Mininko permit in Mali. The feasibility study was prepared by a consortium of prominent internationally renowned mining industry consultants lead by the engineering consulting firm Bumigeme assisted by engineering firm Met-Chem Canada (Met-Chem) and Mr. Jacques Marchand, independent engineer and qualified person (QP) for mineral resource estimation as defined by NI 43-101.

COEUR D'ALENE, Idaho--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Hecla Mining Company (“Hecla”) (NYSE:HL) today announced third quarter net income of $55.8 million, or $0.20 per basic share, and earnings after adjustments applicable to common shareholders of $35.4 million or $0.13 per basic share.1 Third quarter silver production was 2.3 million ounces at a cash cost of $0.67 per ounce, net of by-products.2 “From this quarter, we are poised to grow production 50% over the next five years.”

The Sydney Morning Herald reports in a major policy victory for Australia's Gillard government's controversial carbon pricing scheme has passed parliament with Labor and the Australian Greens forcing the 18 so-called clean energy bills through the Senate. The laws – fiercely opposed by the country's mining sector which says it will lead to more than 20 mine closures and cost thousands of jobs – will force Australia's top 500 polluting companies to pay a tax of $24.50/tonne on carbon emissions from July 2012. On top of the carbon tax set to kick in mid-2012, Australian miners also have to contend with the new minerals resource rent tax set at an effective 22.5% rate on the so-called super-profits of the extractive industries.

Radio Fiji reports the island's Prime Minister Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama opened the Bua bauxite mine at Nawailevu in Bua province on Tuesday. Mining and exporting work at the mine is expected to commence straight after the opening of the mine today. Nawailevu will be Fiji's first bauxite mine and will become the third operating mine in Fiji. The other two are the Vatukoula and the Wainivesi gold mines.

Animation Insider reports SpongeBob SquarePants contributes a hefty amount to Nickelodeon Consumer Product's estimated $5.5 billion in annual, worldwide retail sales. For international coin collectors – or for that one die-hard SpongeBob fan who must have absolutely everything – two companies are partnering with Nickelodeon to manufacture a limited run of four, one-ounce, silver legal tender, based on the cartoon. PFG Precious Metals from Chicago, a wholesale precious metals company, and the New Zealand Mint, a respected minter legal tender for four and a half decades, are now accepting orders for SpongeBob silver.

MarketWatch reports gold futures closed higher Monday, coming to within striking distance of the $1,800 an ounce level, as ongoing concerns over the euro-zone debt crisis and reports that Germany rejected calls to use its gold reserves to help shore up the region’s rescue fund helped boost prices. Gold for December delivery rose more than 2% earlier in the day to trade at $1,794, a six week high. Bullion is now up almost $200/oz from lows hit at the end of September when it briefly changed hands for less than $1,600/oz.

Taseko Mines' hopes were kept alive when the Minister of the Environment, Peter Kent, ordered the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency to set up a panel to examine the company's New Prosperity copper-gold mine. "The Minister of the Environment instructed the Agency to design a process that will thoroughly assess whether the proposal addresses the environmental effects identified in the environmental assessment of the original Prosperity project. He also directed the Agency to ensure that information obtained during the previous environmental assessment is used to the extent possible in order to ensure a timely decision," said the agency in a statement. The review, which will include public hearings, are supposed to be wrapped up in a year.

Business Spectator reports Rio Tinto's Tom Albanese and BHP Billiton's Marius Kloppers find themselves caught up in a tough US political battle as partners on the Resolution Copper venture in Arizona. At the end of last month the Republican-controlled Congress approved a bill to make possible a land exchange clearing the way for what would be North America’s largest copper mine. But the world's two biggest mining groups now await approval in the Senate, a much tougher task. For BHP a go-ahead on Resolution Copper would mean it will at last have something to show for a disastrous acquisition it made more than 15 years ago.

Just a few weeks ago analysts thought the jobs – 20,000 during the building phase alone – and economic benefits would easily outweigh environmental concerns and push the Obama administration to approve Keystone XL. But now, after a summer of protests culminating in Sunday's 10,000 strong White House encirclement and on top of Nebraska's vow to force a rerouting, the US State Department’s inspector general on Monday ordered a "special review" of the Obama administration’s handling of Keystone XL following complaints from members of Congress that the process has been tainted by conflicts of interest.