Pacific Empire Minerals granted exploration permit for Jean Marie project

Company will suspend operations at the McArthur River and Key Lake at the end of January for at least 10 months.

Miner said it would the project back into "care and maintenance" and re-assess its investment in it upon approval and receipt of required permits.

Canadian gold miner expects 2017 production at higher end of guidance range.

Mining giant is eying the 32% interest in SQM that PotashCorp is selling to fulfill China's regulators condition for the approval of the its friendly merger with smaller rival Agrium.

Move follows the reception of key permit — the signed Record of Decision (ROD) on the Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the project.

The Fekola mine will add up to 410,000 ounces of gold to the company's annual output.

The company expects to increase its own annual gold production from 146,000 equivalent ounces in 2016 to 223,000 by 2020 from its four mines

Producer offers 38.5% cash premium for AuRico Metals developing the Kemess gold and copper project in British Columbia, Canada.

Aggregate market cap of the top 100 junior mining companies was up 7% to $12.2 billion, a level not seen since 2010, but the group significantly underperformed the Venture Exchange as a whole.