‘Loser’ vs ‘anemic’: Barrick’s Newmont bid starts on toxic note

Zimbabwe's mines minister on Thursday told delegates at a conference in the capital Harare that the government has received 400 applications from companies interested in mining diamonds, despite an international ban on the export of gems from the rich Chiadzwa alluvial fields. The news comes as Zimbabwe appears to scale back its ambition to force foreign miners to hand over majority ownership with the minister saying the country would not suspend any mining permits and that exceptions may be made to the so-called indigenization laws.

Canadian Arrow Mines could soon be mining nickel again at its Kelex and Alexo mines near Timmins, Ontario. The Toronto-listed company (TSX-V:CRO) has received regulatory approvals to resume production with a small-tonnage, open-pit operation at the Kelex Central West pit, which was exposed, but only superficially mined, before suspension of production in 2005 due to nickel prices falling below US$5/lb.

Montréal, September 15, 2011 – “The new mining royalty regime enables us to attain the objectives that we set, i.e. to obtain from mining companies fair compensation for our natural resources without discouraging investment,” Minister of Finance and Minister of Revenue Raymond Bachand said today at a technical information session held jointly with Minister of Natural Resources and Wildlife and Minister responsible for the Plan Nord Clément Gignac. Minister Bachand indicated that the mining royalties the government collected reached $304 million in 2010-2011, more than double the $133 million originally forecast in the 2011-2012 Budget.

VANCOUVER, Sept. 15, 2011 /CNW/ - In 2011, Canadian mining CEOs are enjoying high salaries on par with 2010's blockbuster year for compensation and there has been a rise in mining CEO millionaires this year, according to the 2011 Mining Industry Salary Survey by Coopers Consulting and PwC. In 2011, the average annual base salary for Canadian mining CEOs was $486,000 in 2011, similar to $480,000 in 2010. Of the 95% of CEOs who were eligible for cash bonuses, 85% reported receiving payouts averaging 76% of their base pay (compared to 88% in 2010 and 61% in 2009) with the highest cash incentive percentage totalling 300% of base pay.

Anvil Mining (TSE:AVM), a copper miner based in the central Africa, tamped down speculation that it may be acquired for $1 billion. Australian Finance Review reported that it was in serious discussion with a Chinese firm about some sort of business tie up. Last month, Anvil announced that it started a strategic review process and the company had formed a special transaction committee to ". . . review and consider the value maximizing alternatives available to the Corporation. BMO Capital Markets has been retained to assist in this regard," said the company in a statement.

The Inuit government of Labrador says it will review a 2008 moratorium on uranium mining that it brought in to protect the environment, The Winnipeg Free Press reported, with the Nunatsiavut Assembly voting last night to review the legislation imposing the moratorium on mining, production and development of uranium on Inuit lands. The moratorium was imposed on concerns over the environmental effects of uranium mining including low-level emissions produced from tailings. If a government committee recommends that the moratorium be lifted, legislation would be put forward to remove the restriction, says The Free Press. A report is expected by December.

Embattled Silvercorp Metals on Wednesday was forced to respond by opening up its books after a second anonymous report which it believes comes from a group of shortsellers trying to drive down the company's share price emerged on the web. Ongoing investigations into the apparent shakedown are being conducted by the RCMP, the BC Securities Commission, the SEC and the FBI, the company said. Silvercorp was forced on Friday 2 September to make public the first fraud allegations and at the same time disclosed that someone had built up a short position of 23 million shares – more than 13% of the number outstanding. The firm with projects in China and Canada plunged after the news broke and year to date losses now top 46% despite the firm’s ongoing buyback programme and a 14.3% bounce by midday today in massive volumes.

The British Geological Survey (BGS) on Wednesday published the latest list of the 52 elements, minerals and metals most at risk of supply disruption because global production is concentrated in a few countries, many with unstable governments. Surprisingly rare earths used in green technology and defence do not top the list but comes in at number five. Antimony, extracted mainly from stibnite (pictured), widely used for fireproofing is most at risk. The platinum group metals (auto catalysts) hold the second spot while niobium used in touch screens and scanners and tungsten for cutting tools are also at risk of supply disruption as a result of increased competition among the world's growing economies, political instability, resource nationalism, along with events such as strikes and accidents. China is the number one producer of 50% of the 52 chemicals on the list and produces 75% of the world's antimony.

Hathor Exploration announced early Wednesday that its board unanimously recommends that shareholders reject Cameco's unsolicited offer for the company calling it 'opportunistic' and 'predatory' coming in the wake of the Fukishima disaster in Japan that sent uranium oxide prices to lows of around $50/pound. Hathor opened down slightly on Wednesday trading at $4.15 versus Cameco's offer of $3.75. Yesterday the company said a preliminary economic assessment of its Roughrider uranium deposit showed it would potentially be one of the lowest cost uranium producers in the world at only $14.44/lb U3O8. The junior uranium explorer has gained about 56% since the offer and 121% since the start of the year. In contrast $8 billion industry bellwether Cameco’s stock has almost halved in 2011.