European Union politicians are preparing to label Canadian oilsands a "dirty fuel," according to a report in the Globe and Mail, which could cause European oil companies to pull back investments in northern Alberta. That is fuelling fears that similar efforts could take place in U.S. states.

Ivanhoe Mines announced its financial results for the year ended December 31, 2010. The approved 2011 capital budget for Oyu Tolgoi is estimated at $2.3 billion. Principal components of the 2011 construction program include $561 million for the 100,000-tonne-per-day concentrator complex; $186 million for the initial mining fleet and to start pre-stripping of the Southern Oyu open-pit mine; and $713 million for project infrastructure, electrical power and completion of the process-water supply. The number of workers assigned to the Oyu Tolgoi site recently surpassed 7,000 for the first time. On-site jobs at Oyu Tolgoi are expected to peak at almost 14,000 in mid-2011, with an additional 3,700 Mongolians receiving skills training sponsored by Oyu Tolgoi.

Nevsun Resources Ltd. (TSX:NSU)(NYSE Amex:NSU) is pleased to announce the revised reserve estimate for its Bisha mine in Eritrea. The revised estimate has increased the total proven and probable reserves to 28.3 million tonnes from the previously reported 20.1 million tonnes (2006 feasibility study). The net impact of higher throughputs and lower cut-off grade has resulted in an extended mine life of 13 years, while increasing previously reported robust cash flow.

Moly Mines Limited (TSX:MOL)(ASX:MOL) is pleased to confirm the 3rd shipment of iron ore fines has today sailed from Port Hedland, destination […]

FLSmidth has today signed a contract in Jakarta worth in excess of USD 135m (DKK 700m) with PT Adaro Indonesia, a subsidiary of PT Adaro Energy Tbk., to supply material handling equipment to its coal mine in the Tanjung district of South Kalimantan, some 1000 km from the Indonesian capital, Jakarta. The material handling equipment will be part of Adaro's expansion of its mining operations and will decrease the average hauling distance of the overburden trucking operations as well as reduce the company's dependency on oil. The contract comprises an out-of-pit overburden crushing and conveying system, consisting of FLSmidth ABON sizers, RAHCO overland conveyors, and RAHCO mobile stacking conveyors. The system has a capacity of 12,000 tonnes per hour and an annual overburden volume of 40 million bank cubic metres. The contractual elements regarding construction, supervision and management, as well as field service, will be supplied by FLSmidth Indonesia.

Lucara Diamond Corp. ("Lucara" or the "Company") (TSX VENTURE:LUC) is very pleased to report outstanding results from its first tender of rough diamonds recovered from the Mothae mine in Lesotho. A total of 42 sales lots, totaling 9,381.35 carats were sold on tender in Antwerp for an average of US$871.70/ carat. Gross proceeds from the sale, which closed today, March 28, 2011, totaled $8,177,714 million. The three stones with the highest per carat value were a 13.87 carat diamond which sold for $43,000/ct, a 24.57 carat diamond which sold for $32,351/ct, and a 20.13 carat diamond which sold for $27,995/ct.

As Comex gold hit a fresh record high, Societe Generale commodities skeptic Dylan Grice - of the ‘long-term return on commodities is zero' fame - wrote a stirring paean to gold in his latest research report. Marked by his characteristic erudition, with references to gold's use as a hedge in the world of antiquity, Grice's report is worth reading and thinking about.

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.

Congo authorities seized 435 kilos (957 pounds) of gold and $6.5 million in cash in smashing a plot to smuggle the haul abroad from the country's anarchic east, officials said on Saturday. The Democratic Republic of Congo's state prosecutor said five people including an American and two French citizens, as well as an impounded, U.S.-registered Gulfstream jet, had been released after a $3 million fine was paid.