Ascot Resources enters agreement to acquire IDM Mining

Western Copper (WRN.TO) has begun engineering studies to determine whether it can modify plans that pushed regulators to reject its request for a water use license at its Carmacks copper project in Canada's Yukon Territory. A recent court ruling in the northwestern territory upheld the Yukon Water Board's decision to reject Western Copper's plans, forcing the exploration company to go back to the drawing board.

Silver Quest Resources (TSX-V:SQI) has entered into an agreement with The Yukon Cornelius Syndicate, a staking syndicate whose members are at arm's length to the company, to acquire a 100% interest in 80 quartz mineral claims (YCS Claims) located in the White Gold District, 135 km south of Dawson City, Yukon.

Rambler Metals and Mining PLC (TSX-V:RAB)(AIM:RMM) said it intends to raise approximately £10 million, before expenses, through a placing of 27,777,778 ordinary shares at 36 pence each (approximately CDN$0.57 per share).

Franco-Nevada forecasts revenue this year to be between US$325 million to $350 million this year, using consensus commodity price assumptions of US$1,400 gold, $1,750 platinum, $575 palladium and $80 oil. However, the company warned its expenses will be significantly higher in the first quarter of the year, as transaction costs associated with the acquisition of Gold Wheaton will be expensed under International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS).

Canada's Inmet Mining said a letter from the Panama government confirmed that its copper-gold project will not be affected by the recent repeal of a law that allowed foreign government investment in mines within the Central American country. The law is crucial to Inmet, as the company plans to partner with Singapore's state investor Temasek and with Korea Resources Corp to finance and build its $4.3 billion copper-gold project in the country.

Crocodile Gold announced today that it closed a Can$85 million bought-deal closing of 81 million units at Can$1.05 per unit. Each unit consists of one common share of the company and one-half of one common share purchase warrant. The syndicate of underwriters was co-led by GMP Securities L.P. and Cormark Securities Inc.

Shares in South African gold miner, Harmony Gold, rose just over 5% on the back of a positive investment rating by RBC Shares in Harmony Gold Mining (HARJ.J: Quote) rose by over 5 percent in early trade on Thursday with dealers attributing the rise to an

Kinross Gold Corporation (TSX:K)(NYSE:KGC) announced today that it has sold its approximate 8.5% equity interest in Harry Winston Diamond Corporation ("Harry Winston"), consisting of approximately 7.1 million Harry Winston common shares, on an underwritten block trade basis, for gross proceeds of CDN$100 million. On August 25, 2010, Kinross announced that it had completed the sale of its former 22.5% interest in the partnership holding Harry Winston's 40% interest in the Diavik Diamond Mines joint venture to Harry Winston for US$50 million cash, 7.1 million Harry Winston common shares, and a note payable in the amount of US$70 million maturing 12 months from the date of the sale.

Endeavour Silver Corp.(TSX:EDR)(NYSE Amex:EXK)(DBFrankfurt:EJD) announced today record earnings, cash-flows and revenues for the fourth quarter and fiscal year ended December 31, 2010, […]