Canadian geologist Kirk Woodman murdered in Burkina Faso

Exploration Orbite (TSX VENTURE:ORT.A) is pleased to announce that it has successfully produced its first ton of high purity alumina and has done so ahead of schedule and on budget. This first ton was produced at the company's pilot facility in Cap-Chat, QC, using the company's patented process that marks an important technological quantum step forward. "Producing our first ton of high purity alumina is a major breakthrough for Orbite because it proves definitely that the innovative process we have developed is viable and suited to large scale production. It brings us that much closer to a new metallurgical alumina production facility and a high purity alumina production facility with very high added value"

Metalex Ventures (TSX:MTX) recovered a 0.72 carat white diamond from its James Bay lowlands project in Quebec — a joint venture between Metalex and Arctic Star Diamond Corp. (TSX:ADD). The B.C.-based company made the announcement on Friday among its latest drill results from the 9.3-hectare U2 kimberlite pipe. The discovery was made on the third of 11 drill holes, and Metalex indicated another 0.72-carat stone has been recovered from the fourth hole.

Strategic Metals Ltd. (TSX VENTURE:SMD) (“Strategic”) is pleased to announce the closing of the Can$16.25 million private placement announced on February 23, […]

Denison Mines reported 1,442,000 pounds of uranium oxide and 2,347,000 pounds of vanadium blackflake last year. The company had originally forecast 1.6 million pounds U3O8 and 2.8 million pounds of vanadium production for 2010. Production for the fourth-quarter totaled 234,000 pounds of uranium oxide and 391,000 pounds of vanadium.

As unrest in Libya, Saudi Arabia and other Middle Eastern countries continues to put pressure on the price of oil, the head of Imperial Oil Ltd. is backing a multi-billion-dollar expansion project to bring Canadian oilsands crude to U.S. markets. The Wall Street Journal reports: A pipeline project that's pending U.S. approval is necessary to ensure the reliability and security of oil supplies to the world's largest oil consumer, the head of Imperial Oil Ltd. (IMO) said. Imperial Oil is a Canadian company majority owned by Irving, Texas-based Exxon Mobil Corp. (XOM), the world's largest publicly traded oil company.

For the second time this year, police have been called to the scene of a mining-related death in Timmins, Ontario. According to a report in The Timmins Times, a 57-year-old man died Thursday morning in an accident at Goldcorp's Hoyle Pond gold mine in Timmins. Paramedics were dispatched to the Hoyle Pond Mine just before the noon hour today in response to a 9-1-1 call that a miner suffered a serious injury after being struck by a piece of heavy equipment underground near the 1400 level.

Anglesey Mining's 41%-owned Labrador Iron Mines Holdings Limited (TSX: LIM) has entered into a life of mine transportation contract with Quebec North Shore and Labrador Railway for transporting iron ore from LIM's DSO iron ore projects near Schefferville. The contract provides that QNS&L will carry LIM's iron ore from Emeril Junction, Newfoundland and Labrador, to Sept-
les Junction, Quebec, on the QNS& L Railway. The railway already carries iron ore for Iron Ore Company of Canada, Wabush Mines and Consolidated Thompson's (now Cliffs Resources) Bloom Lake Mine.

Aurizon Minerals has reported a 44% increase in mineral reserves at its Casa Berardi mine in northwestern Quebec. That brings the gold reserves to 1.457 million ounces, with 370,000 ounces available for open pit mining in the principal zones, which are open laterally.

Inmet Mining is holding firm on the proposed friendly merger with Lundin Mining, saying there are significant risks associated with the hostile Equinox offer for Lundin announced last week. Inmet continues to believe the proposed merger of equals between Inmet and Lundin to create Symterra provides superior benefits to shareholders of both Inmet and Lundin without the risks associated with the Equinox offer, Inmet stated on Thursday.