Europe Top Stories

Massive gold nugget for sale in California

It's expected to fetch in the $400,000 range.

African Minerals founder to buy broke London Mining’s Sierra Leone assets

Frank Timis has got $20 million to acquire the mine…

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Glacier acquires 50 percent interest in InfoMine

Vancouver, B.C., November 10, 2011— (TSX:GVC) Glacier Media Inc. is pleased to announce that, through its affiliates, it has acquired a 50% interest in InfoMine Inc. (www.infomine.com), a leading online provider of rich information and intelligence to the global mining industry.

Investors see more David than Goliath in new resource estimate

Treasury Metals (TSE:TML) failed to generate excitement this week from news that it has doubled the resource estimate at its Goliath gold project near Dryden, Ontario. The stock barely moved on Wednesday, opening and closing at $1.05. It was down around 5 cents in mid-day trading on Thursday.

Alberta approves new oilsands project

The Alberta oilsands has a new kid in town. Calgary Herald reports that Grizzly Oil Sands, a privately-owned company, has been approved for an 11,300 barrel-per-day, in-situ oilsands project southwest of Fort McMurrray: Cabinet approval for the project was given this week after approval was sought last year but chief executive John Pearce said the process of engineering and ordering equipment is already well underway. The company expects first production by early 2013, and to grow production at its other property to 60,000 bopd by 2020 reports The Herald.

Zimbabwe minister admits smuggling is rife barely a week after diamond export ban is lifted

Mining Review reports the decision last week to allow Zimbabwe to resume diamond exports from the controversial Chiadzwa and Marange alluvial fields is being questioned, after the country's mines minister admitted on Thursday that smuggling was still rife. The comments are in stark contrast to his previous insistence that the country's diamond industry was meeting international trade standards. Zimbabwe is set to earn over $2 billion per year from exports with current diamond output estimated to be in excess of 25% of world production. Rough diamond prices have dropped by more than 10% over the last two months and is set to fall further as the first Marange diamonds come onto the market by the end of this month.

Chile to Anglo: Sell if you want but we will get our stake

Reuters reports the Chairman of Chile's Codelco vowed on Thursday to go ahead with buying a 49% stake in Anglo American's southern Chilean properties. The state copper giant said that it would take all steps to ensure its option is respected and that it did not mind if Anglo cedes a part of its own stake to others. Anglo American on Wednesday sold a 24.5% stake in the properties that includes the newly expanded $2.8 billion Los Bronces mine to Japan’s Mitsubishi Corp. for $5.39 billion, undermining plans by Chile’s state-owned Codelco to exercise an option to buy half of it. Chile decided at the end of October to exercise the 33-year old option that has lapsed before, blindsiding Anglo. Anglo said the transaction values its Chile properties at $22 billion. Codelco was offering $6 billion for 50%.

Caledonia Mining gains 20% after six-fold increase in Q3 profits

Caledonia Mining, an African focused mining and exploration company with a mine in Zimbabwe, shot up 20% to 11 cents a share after announcing a six-fold increase in profits in Q3. The company said that gross profit was $9.36 million compared to $1.607 million in the comparative quarter. "This is almost a six-fold increase on the comparative quarter and is the seventh consecutive quarterly increase in gross profit," said the company in a statement.

Minera Andes announces $6.8 million net income in Q3 and US$45 million in cash

Minera Andes, an exploration company looking for gold, silver and copper in Argentina, announced net income of $6.8 million in Q3 compared to a $5.6 million loss during the same period a year ago. The company also reported that it has US$45 million in cash as at September 30, 2011 with no debt. The company, which has a 49% ownership interest of the San José Mine, attributed the gain to high gold and silver prices.

Iron ore miners pay the price of $30B expansion through higher royalties

Mega-miners BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto on Thursday learned the price of their planned expansions in the Australian Pilbara: increased iron ore royalties to the West Australian government. Sydney Morning Herald reports the WA government will reap $1.9 billion more in mining royalties over three years after deals were reached with BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto: Premier Colin Barnett said the royalty rate for fines iron ore - grains smaller than 10 millimetres - would increase from 5.625 per cent of sale revenue to 6.5 per cent from July 1, next year and to 7.5 per cent from July 1, 2013. In return, mining giants BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto would be able to expand their projects in the Pilbara, worth an estimated $30 billion.

Anglo outmaneuvers Chile trying to get its copper assets on the cheap

Reuters reports Anglo American on Wednesday sold a 24.5% stake in its southern Chilean properties to Japan's Mitsubishi Corp. for $5.39 billion, undermining plans by Chile's state-owned Codelco to exercise an option to buy half of it. Chile decided at the end of October, barely a week after Anglo American announced that the $2.8 billion they splashed on expanding their flagship Los Bronces mine will start to bear fruit before year end, to exercise the 33-year old option that has lapsed before, blindsiding Anglo. Anglo said the transaction values its Chile properties at $22 billion. Codelco was offering $6 billion for 50%.