China is looking to allocate a value-added tax (VAT) permit to all rare earth companies in a desperate effort to curb resource plundering, dangerous artisanal mining and widespread pollution, as well as collecting revenue.
In my email this past week was a missive from the news-editor of Mining.com. He passed on a letter sent to him for possible publication. I repeat the entire letter below. It has the edge I like. It has the honesty of an old man about to retire: I respect that. It has the frustration of change; and we all know the feeling.
Junior miner Matamec Explorations, currently developing the Kipawa rare earths project in western Quebec, Canada, said on Monday it had started a pilot plant to enable the continuous processing of ore samples.
It took six months to cut into shape and now it is on display today in the Tower of London to mark Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee, a fancy pink-brown colour 35.60 carat diamond.
Canada-based Nautilus Minerals Inc. said its Solwara 1 underwater copper project could be delayed or even cancelled due to a dispute with Papua New Guinea over the mine ownership agreement.
Bolivia’s President Evo Morales announced he will consult the indigenous communities of the Altiplano before authorizing the eventual exploitation of the silver and indium deposit of Mallku Khota, currently under exploration by Canadian South American Silver (TSX:SAC).
Brazil Potash Corp. announced it has secured $58 million for potash exploration at the Amazon Basin project, where it plans to build a $3.5 billion to $4 billion mine.