How countries are getting tougher with mining companies

Most Chinese takeovers in the resource sector do not pose a threat to national security, says the author of a new report on Chinese investment in Canada.

Chris Berry, founder of Mountain Partners asset management company, provided an interesting summary of the graphite space while speaking at the recent Graphite Express Conference in Vancouver.

"Shenhua is the most competitive bidder for the project given its technology, transport infrastructure, access to the Chinese market and the backing of the Chinese government," Shenhua CEO Ling Wen told reporters.

Japan and Canada have formally agreed to launch negotiations on a bilateral free trade agreement (FTA) to eliminate import tariffs on most products and cooperate on developing energy resources, including natural gas and minerals, reports Platts.

The Canadian Association Against Impunity (CAAI), which represents several human rights groups and non-governmental organizations, filed today a last-minute plea at the Supreme Court against Canadian miner Anvil Mining Limited (TSX:AVM), on behalf of the victims of a 2004 massacre in Congo.

Gold is being amassed largely on the fears that the global currency system is flawed, and bears also believe American and Chinese economies are headed for another fall. However, there is a deep economic imbalance that is rapidly being righted that can result in a lot of prosperity for all.

While the long-closed and suppressed country of Myanmar holds elections and starts to haltingly open up, Jim Rogers says the country has an amazing potential, similar to China when it first undertook its economic revival.

Chinese firms have been snapping up copper, uranium, iron ore and coking coal assets around the world, but have yet to make a big splash in nickel.

Gold’s been knocked down lately, but several enduring factors have conditioned the yellow metal for an inevitable comeback.