Lara grants Capstone option to buy copper project in Brazil

Vancouver-based miner Endeavour Silver has discovered two high-grade silver/gold zones at its Guanajuato mine in Mexico and anticipates a significant increase in reserves and resources at the mine at the year-end.

Natural Resources Minister Joe Oliver says Canada's environmental review process takes too long and it should be streamlined so it doesn't last any longer than two years. Oliver made the statement in announcing federal approval for French oil giant Total's Joslyn North oilsands mine project 65 kilometres northwest of Fort McMurray, Alta.

Toyota Tsusho Corp., the trading company of the Asia’s largest automaker, will help accelerate production of rare-earth metals for Canadian mining company Matamec Explorations Inc. and buy all the output from its Kipawa mine.

Resource Capital Research detects some good news in the uranium sector, namely acquisition plays for Hathor Exploration and Extract Resources, but sector performance will remain poor for the first quarter of 2012.

CALGARY, ALBERTA--(Marketwire - Dec. 11, 2011) - Suncor Energy reported today that it has declared force majeure under its contractual obligations and is suspending its operations with the General Petroleum Corporation (GPC) in Syria.

Announcing its third quarter on Thursday, Harry Winston (TSX:HW) reported a $4.7 million loss and said it is keeping some of its diamonds on ice.

VANCOUVER, Dec. 9, 2011 /CNW/ - Encanto Potash Corp. ("Encanto" or the "Company") (TSXV:EPO) (OTCQX:ENCTF) is pleased to report the closing of its previously announced (see press release dated November 16, 2011) non-brokered private placement of 12,940,000 units for aggregate gross proceeds of $2,976,200. The proceeds will be used to provide the Company with working capital for engineering studies, marketing and general administrative expenses.

A new zinc mine in Canada's Northwest Territories has received environmental approval. Canadian Zinc Corporation (TSE:CZN) said Friday that its Prairie Creek Mine has cleared an environmental review by the Mackenzie Valley Environmental Impact Review Board, meaning the mine can proceed to the next stage of regulatory approvals.

The owner of what was once Nunavut’s first and only diamond mine, Shear Diamonds Ltd., on Dec. 8 struck a deal with a Belgian diamond dealer that will give Shear the cash it needs to recover and sell diamonds from the mothballed site’s existing stockpiles.