Delrey authorized to drill at Newfoundland property

Canada-based Nautilus Minerals Inc. (TSX:NUS)(OTCQX:NUSMF)(AIM:NUS) said Monday that despite several meetings with Papua New Guinea's government representatives in the last two weeks, the company is still battling authorities in regards to its obligation to complete the agreement reached in March last year for Nautilus Solwara 1 copper project.

Canadian Yamana Gold Inc. (TSX:YRI) (NYSE:AUY)(LSE:YAU) announced a $400 million acquisition Monday of Argentina-focused junior miner Extorre Gold Mines (AMEX:XG) (TSX:XG), which has an appealing gold-silver project in the South American country, while also saying it plans to boost its dividend by 18%.

First Nickel has updated and optimized its mine plan, result in a new $86.9 million net present value.

De Beers considered a bid for BHP Billiton's 80% stake in Canadian diamond mine Ekati, but has now become the latest interested party not to submit an offer, perhaps leaving the door open for jewellery retailer Harry Winston to pick up the massive producer for a bargain price.

Peter Koven at the National Post looks at the Vancouver-based DeepGreen Resources, a private company that just signed 50% off-take agreement with mining giant Glencore International.

Nova Scotia's Natural Resources Minister, Charlie Parker, is supporting DDV Gold Ltd., an Australian gold company, over a family run Christmas tree farm that doesn't want its land expropriated and turned into an open pit mine.

Kyrgyzstan's economy will grow by barely a quarter of the 7.5 percent originally forecast because of the collapse in output from the nation's flagship venture with Canada's Centerra Gold.

An exploration budget of $8.6 million has been approved for 2012, comprising 11,280 metres (m) of drilling and 3,600 m of trenching, supported by geophysics, in 12 target areas.

In many ways the oil industry is a fashion industry, and in 2011 the exciting new model on the investment bankers’ catwalk was the Duvernay shale.