Acacia disputes Barrick’s criticism of mine plans, asks investors to take no action

BHP Billiton addressed shareholder concerns about its ambitious investment plans in four mega-projects on Wednesday saying it will match capital expenditures closely with cash flows and stagger the project pipeline.

Barrick Gold Corp. (TSX:ABX) increased its quarterly dividend by 33%, as the company announced Wednesday a 3% increase in its first-quarter profit.

Yamana Gold (TSX:YRI) announced that net earnings increased 15% to $170 million, $0.23 per share in first quarter of 2012.

Birks, one of Canada's main manufacturers and retailers of fine jewellery since 1879, is bringing the largest collection of yellow diamonds ever to be exhibited in the jeweller's history to its Toronto location. A collection of pieces worth $10 million will be showcased at Birks on Bloor from May 2 to 6, 2012.

Canadian junior Shear Diamonds Ltd. (TSX VENTURE:SRM) announced today it’s begun processing diamonds from the stockpiles at its Jericho diamond mine in Nunavut, Canada.

Canada's gross domestic product surprisingly dropped 0.2% in February, with all fingers pointing at the manufacturing and mining sectors, particularly potash and nickel producers, as the main responsible, says the latest Statistics Canada report.

Sales volumes were up 33% at Cameco, the world's largest uranium miner in Q1. Revenue increased 22% to $563 million and gross profit showed a gain of 31% to $178 million.

From a 7-year low against US benchmark crude only six weeks ago, syncrude on Monday moved into premium territory.

For centuries, pilgrims have thronged to the Chilean mountain town of Andacollo – to worship at the historic church and to mine the dusty hills for copper. Now a new wave of pilgrims is worshipping at the altar of Andacollo – Canadians, in the form of Teck Resources Ltd., which that has spent more than US$ 440 million expanding an open-pit copper project on the edge of town.