Vancouver miner to partner with Zijin for gold project in the Kyrgyz Republic

Zone Resources Inc. (CVE:ZNR) has retained Grandich Publications LLC to conduct investor relations and communications for one year for the Vancouver-based iron ore exploration company.

Danny Williams, the colourful ex-premier of Newfoundland, will serve as special advisor to the chairman of iron ore junior Alderon Iron Ore Corp. (CSV:ADV).

LAB Chrysotile Inc., one of the two remaining Quebec’s asbestos miners, has filed for bankruptcy because of high fixed costs and sharply declining revenues.

John Zigarlick Jr., who spearheaded construction of a pioneering winter mining road in the North, died Dec. 16 in Edmonton. He was 74.

Cameco (TSX:CCO) (NYSE:CCJ) announced today it has reached the main mine workings with the second shaft at the Cigar Lake uranium mining project in northern Saskatchewan. Miners removed the final section of rock connecting shaft 2 with the mine workings 480 metres below surface on January 3, 2012. The second shaft will provide for increased ventilation of the underground workings as well as additional means of entering and exiting the mine. SASKATOON, SASKATCHEWAN--(Marketwire - Jan. 3, 2012) -

MONTREAL, QUEBEC--(Marketwire - Jan. 3, 2012) - Osisko Mining Corporation (TSX:OSK)(FRANKFURT:EWX) ("Osisko" or the "Company") has been notified of an unsolicited "mini-tender" offer, made by TRC Capital Corporation ("TRC Capital") on December 23, 2011, to purchase up to 5,000,000, or approximately 1.297% of Osisko's common shares, at a price of CDN $9.55 per share. Osisko does not recommend or endorse this unsolicited offer.

Imperial Metals Corporation (TSX:III) reports permit amendments for Huckleberry mine have been received. The board of directors of Huckleberry Mines Ltd. (HML) has formally approved the Main Zone Optimization (MZO) plan(1) to extend the life of Huckleberry mine to 2021.

Canadian locomotive maker Electro-Motive, owned by Caterpillar Inc., began the New Year by shutting out hundreds of workers at its plant in London, Ontario.

Rio Tinto Alcan will begin an orderly shutdown of approximately one-third of its production at its 438,000 tonne Alma smelter in Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean, Quebec after initiating a lockout at the facility earlier today.