Miners back to work at Peru’s Antamina copper mine

VANCOUVER, Dec. 9, 2011 /CNW/ - Encanto Potash Corp. ("Encanto" or the "Company") (TSXV:EPO) (OTCQX:ENCTF) is pleased to report the closing of its previously announced (see press release dated November 16, 2011) non-brokered private placement of 12,940,000 units for aggregate gross proceeds of $2,976,200. The proceeds will be used to provide the Company with working capital for engineering studies, marketing and general administrative expenses.

A new zinc mine in Canada's Northwest Territories has received environmental approval. Canadian Zinc Corporation (TSE:CZN) said Friday that its Prairie Creek Mine has cleared an environmental review by the Mackenzie Valley Environmental Impact Review Board, meaning the mine can proceed to the next stage of regulatory approvals.

World #1 nickel and palladium producer Norilsk Nickel is investing heavily in new and existing mines. The Russian mining conglomerate announced today it will spend US$10.9 billion to expand its mineral resource base including development of existing mining assets and construction and commissioning of new mines.

Gold rebounded from the biggest decline in more than two weeks as European leaders worked to agree on a plan to save the euro and defuse the debt crisis.

The owner of what was once Nunavut’s first and only diamond mine, Shear Diamonds Ltd., on Dec. 8 struck a deal with a Belgian diamond dealer that will give Shear the cash it needs to recover and sell diamonds from the mothballed site’s existing stockpiles.

Australia's Extract Resources Ltd., owner of the world’s fourth-largest uranium deposit, advised shareholders to take no action regarding the $2.2 billion takeover bid from Chinese nuclear fuels supplier Guangdong Nuclear Power Corp (CGNPC).

TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - Dec. 9, 2011) - Strait Gold Corporation (TSX VENTURE:SRD) ("Strait Gold" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has signed a binding agreement (the "Agreement") with Teck Peru S.A. ("Teck Peru"), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Teck Resources Limited ("Teck"), giving Teck Peru an option to earn up to a 75% interest in the Company's Alicia copper-gold property ("Alicia" or the "Property") in Peru by spending up to $30 million on exploration at Alicia or delivering a pre-feasibility study, making $500,000 in cash option payments and exercising the warrants referred to below. TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - Dec. 9, 2011) - Strait Gold Corporation (TSX VENTURE:SRD) ("Strait Gold" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has signed a binding agreement (the "Agreement") with Teck Peru S.A. ("Teck Peru"), a...

China Knowledge reports the Middle Kingdom could experience an escalation in the demand for iron ore according to the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.

Poor diamond sales have bitten into diamond retailer and miner Harry Winston Diamond Corp.