Mining executive steps away from UBC keynote address ahead of securities hearing

The Ottawa Citizen reports that computer hackers went after potash documents in the Finance Department and Treasury Board networks. An email, pretending to come from an aboriginal group, was opened by department officials. A link in the email installed malware on the worker's computers, which facilitated the attacks. Industry officials believe the attack was launched from China.

Albertan metallurgical coal producer, Grande Cache Coal (TSX:GCE), was acquired by a Japanese and Chinese firms for about $1.0 billion. The purchase, announced on Monday, represented a 112% premium over the 20-day volume weighted average trading price of the company's common shares. Shares of Grande Cache Coal shot up 66% on the news. The new owners are Winsway Coking Coal Holdings Limited and Marubeni Corporation.

The UK's Telegraph reports two hundred wealthy Democrats were paying $5,000 a head this week to have lunch with Barack Obama – up to $7,500 if they also wanted their pictures taken with him – at San Francisco's posh W Hotel. Outside it was very different – some of the party's biggest donors were protesting. There is increasing bitterness on the left about Obama's perceived closeness to industry and what they see as his failure to honour environmental promises. Like the San Francisco protesters many former campaign donors are now threatening to withdraw financial support if he fails to block the Keystone XL oil pipeline and putting off the decision – hinted at by the US State Department this week – should not come as a surprise to anyone following Obama's poll numbers..

The regulatory process for Enbridge’s Northern Gateway pipeline to connect Alberta's oil sands and markets in Asia, is shaping up to make the TransCanada's Keystone XL approval look like a cake walk. Starting in January, an unprecedented 4,000-plus people – the vast majority environmental activists – will speak for a collective 650 hours at public hearings on the controversial pipeline that would stretch for 1,170km from Brudenheim in Alberta to a new marine terminal at Kitimat in northern British Columbia, Canada. The project is already almost a year behind schedule and would not go into operation in 2017 at the soonest.

Klondike Silver has been acquiring over 80% of the Sandon, BC silver camp over the past 20 years and its land position is now at 23,000Ha. Historical output from Sandon area mines starting in 1890s is over $35 billion (at today's mineral value) of lead zinc and silver. Klondike owns a 100 TPD fully operational flotation mill in Sandon which processes material from local mines. In its prime Sandon had 29 hotels, 28 saloons, 3 breweries, theatres, opera houses, cigar factory, soft drink plant, 3 sawmills, 3 churches, x2 newspapers, a schoolhouse, hospital, numerous lodges, clubs, organizations and a curling rink and bowling alley (in addition to one of the largest ‘red light’ districts in Western Canada). Klondike Silver is also reviving the Gowganda and Elk Lake silver camps in Ontario.

Keystone XL should bring Canadian crude, which at the moment sells at a $30 discount, in line with global prices. At the same time a huge slice of the record profits announced this week by Chevron, ConocoPhillips and Exxon Mobil will we wiped out. Here's why.

The Royal Canadian Mint is pleased to announce its initial public offering of Exchange Traded Receipts (ETRs) under the Mint's new Canadian Gold Reserves program. Each ETR provides evidence of ownership in physical gold bullion held in the custody of the Mint at its facilities in Ottawa, Ontario. The Canadian Gold Reserves program marks the expansion of the Mint's successful core bullion and refinery business. Subject to market conditions, the initial offering of ETRs is targeting an issue size of approximately CAD$250 million.

An Australia-based coal-mining junior has struck a bargain to ship coal through Prince Rupert, BC. Coalspur Mines (TSE:CPT, ASX:CPL) said Thursday it has reached a 14-year agreement to export thermal coal from its Vista project in Alberta through Ridley Terminals in Prince Rupert. The news spiked the shares 5% on the Australian exchange Friday but caused less of a stir on the Toronto bourse, where Coalspur was down about half a percent as the trading day closed.

A presentation made to the Zimbabwean parliament on Thursday details the secrecy, corruption and human rights abuses that accompany mining activities in the Marange alluvial diamond fields. Hundreds were killed and thousands of local miners were driven off claims when the army seized control of the area in 2008 and most observers believe an international ban on these gems are being widely flouted. The report alleges that in contrast to the official $200 million, as much as $2.8 billion – equal to all other tax revenues – found its way into a parallel government via the army, police, prisons and intelligence agencies which all have 'permits' to mine there.