Solitaire Minerals Corp. (TSX VENTURE:SLT) reports that Terra Ventures Inc. (TSX VENTURE:TAS) has commenced a diamond drilling programs on the Wheeler River uranium properties, adjoining the Denison Mines property and the Phoenix Zone, in the Athabasca Basin of Saskatchewan.

Cap-Ex Ventures announced it has received and interpreted the preliminary data from the recently completed Airborne FALCON Gravity Gradiometer and High Sensitivity Magnetometer survey, conducted by Fugro Airborne Surveys Corp. The survey was conducted over the Company's wholly owned Lac Connelly property located in the Labrador Trough.

Geoff Burns, President and CEO of Pan American Silver Corp. (PAAS: NASDAQ) has been elected President of the Silver Institute by its membership. Mr. Burns has been the President and CEO of Vancouver-based Pan American Silver since 2004.

Osisko Mining Corporation CA:OSK +2.75% , has declared commercial production at their flagship Canadian Malartic Mine in Malartic, Quebec. Sean Roosen, President and Chief Executive Officer, commented on reaching this major milestone: "It is our great pleasure to report that our gold milling plant has processed an average of 33,300 tonnes per day during the 30-day period ending June 17, 2011. Our operating team has been successful in ramping up production rapidly and we are seeing steady progress on a daily basis in all facets of our operations. The rapid development of the Canadian Malartic Project from exploration to commercial production is a tribute to the hard work, dedication and expertise of our employees and contractors. With great pride we present Canada's newest and largest commercial gold mine."

Canadian Mining Journal reports: Crowflight Minerals of Vancouver has received all the necessary approvals and will begin trading under its new name, CaNickel Mining Limited, on June 23, 2011. The company has also moved its business to British Columbia from Ontario. CMJ reports that since Crowflight restarted nickel mining at Bucko Lake near Wabowden, Manitoba, the mine has shipped 85 tonnes of nickel concentrate to Xstrata's smelter in Sudbury, ON. The mill is currently processing 600 tonnes per day. Image of the Bucko Lake mill, by Crowflight Minerals Inc.

Sutter Gold Mining Inc. (TSXV:SGM) said Wednesday it will go ahead with mine and mill construction at the company's Lincoln gold project in California, according to a report by Canadian Press: The decision follows completion of an independent preliminary economic assessment that indicated "positive economics" for the project near Sutter Creek, Calif., using a base gold price of US$1,100 an ounce. The project will be financed through a $20 million prepaid gold facility from RMB Australia Holdings. Sutter has agreed to deliver a total of 53,027 ounces to RMB, at a price of approximately $950/oz.

Jewelry and watch demand strengthened significantly in April in the U.S. market. New data indicates that total jewelry and watch sales rose by 11.2% over the same month a year ago, the largest gain since early 2010, when the industry was beginning to recover from the recession. Further, total jewelry and watch sales for the first three months of 2011 were revised upward, and show a much more consistent, positive trend. Preliminary jewelry sales in prior months had been somewhat choppy – in line with the choppy post-recession economic growth. However, newly revised data shows a pattern of solid monthly sales gains.

One of the world’s leading manufacturers and suppliers of mining excavators and haul trucks, Liebherr has chosen to continue providing Immersive Technologies with exclusive access to both its engineering staff and also its confidential, machine technical information which is considered essential to accurately simulate Liebherr’s real machines to the highest level of fidelity for operator training.

In less than a year from now Chelopech aims to break the mould in continuous improvement of underground mining bringing world-leading underground operating practice to Bulgaria. John Chadwick will report in detail in the magazine about the attention to detail, reliable and innovative communications, some of the latest trackless mining technology, commitment and passion that are all coming together at the Chelopech copper-gold mine in Bulgaria (IM, October 2006). Read more