World’s major gold miners target copper porphyries

'Potential therefore exists that estimation of future risk to humans and wildlife because of surface mining activity in the Athabasca oil sands region has been underestimated,' researchers write.

The company has extended the productive life timeframe for both Canadian operations.

However, the report says those funds are unlikely to be available to junior miners.

To Silver Standard Resources.

The energy giant also reduced its 2014 output targets due to halted operations in Libya.

It will connect the landlocked country's vast copper mines to the Atlantic coast.

While the junior sector keeps attracting foreign investment, about $40 billion large-scale projects have been put on ice or postponed, study reveals.

Baby boomers are retiring and even if only a small fraction of new projects take off, the ensuing skills shortage will bring back mining jobs boom.

We often hear that large gold producers are usually not the best explorers. As such, when it comes time to replenish or grow their resource base, they must look to M&A.