ArcelorMittal South Africa (Amsa) is on target to complete the due diligence being carried out on a potential new iron ore mine in the Northern Cape by September. Amsa CEO Nonkululeko Nyembezi-Heita told investors at a presentation of the group’s interim results for the six months to end-June in Sandton on Wednesday that once the due diligence was completed further drilling would be carried out and a feasibility study undertaken.

Gold is sidelining platinum and palladium and could hit $1 800/oz by Christmas, says UBS bullion bank precious metals strategist Dr Edel Tully, who describes the present as “an extremely exciting time” to be in precious metals. Tully expects gold to be in deficit in 2011 as a result of only moderate mine-supply growth, a lower level of recycling than in 2009 and the steady buying of gold by central banks.

Gold bullion prices set a new intraday record of $1,625 per ounce in Wednesday's Asian trade – 1.5% up on Friday's close – before easing back slightly after London opened. Stocks and commodities fell but US Treasury bonds were up, as the US Congress had to postpone a vote on the $14.2 trillion debt ceiling. Image of Johh Boehner, Speaker of the United States House of Representatives

London copper futures rose for a second day on Wednesday as supply worries brought on by an extended strike at the world's largest copper mine countered concerns over protracted talks in the United States to lift its debt limit. But the thin trading volumes in Asian hours and modest gains suggest investors were far from aggressive in pushing up copper prices, now trading just around 3 percent away from historic highs, given a shaky outlook for global demand. Satellite image of Escondida Mine in Chile

While commodities ETFs - led by precious metals funds like the SPDR Gold Trust (GLD) and the iShares Silver Trust (SLV) - are hot, currency ETFs are even hotter. Flows into 38 U.S.-listed currency ETFs this year stood at $2.2 billion through last week, according to a new review of fund flows by ConvergEx Group.

Jayden Resources Inc., ("Jayden" or "the Company") (TSX:JDN) is pleased to announce assay results from the first 17 holes received from its planned 100 hole - 15,000 meter drilling program at Silver Coin. The drilling program is composed of approximately 80% infill and close offset holes, and 20% exploration holes outside of the current resource. The primary goal of the program is to upgrade the existing inferred resource to the measured and indicated categories. Drilling began in mid-May at the south end of the resource area and has been progressing to the north.

The tide of deaths of infants and young children from an outbreak of lead poisoning in Zamfara State, in North West Nigeria did not come like a thief in the night. The stage had been set for the tragic incident several years earlier. Increasing activities of illegal miners and improper processing of lead-contaminated gold ore within households in the community, were largely responsible for the high death toll. Image of an artisinal miner holding wolframite is from Julien Harneis. 

Canadian Oil Sands Corp., which holds the largest stake in the massive Syncrude oilsands mine north of Fort McMurray, Alta., said Tuesday its second-quarter profits rose on the back of strong oil prices. Net income for the three months ended June 30 was $346 million, or 71 cents per share _ missing the average analyst estimate of 73 cents per share, according to Thomson Reuters.

Zimbabwe’s diamond production reached 2.329 million carats in the first half of 2011 with the bulk coming from the controversial Marange fields, Finance Minister Tendai Biti reported to Parliament on Tuesday. The Treasury expects production to ramp up in the second half to reach 8.2 million carats for the full year, which would be slightly lower than the 8.435 million carats mined in 2010.