Ruukki Metals opts in favour of Loesche mills for more efficient steel production

A day after reports that the Canadian federal police have joined the investigation into who may be behind an anonymous letter alleging fraud at Silvercorp Metals from an apparent short seller, shares in the company were racing ahead 10% in brisk noon trade on Thursday. Silvercorp was forced last week Friday to make public the letter and at the same time disclosed that someone had built up a short position of 23 million shares – more than 13% of the number outstanding. The firm with projects in China and Canada plunged 10% after the news broke, but is now up a net 8.7%, helped along the way by an influential investment site that in rather dramatic fashion asks whether Silvercorp is the "perfect stock."

Australians believe that the mining industry is much larger than it actually is, according to a study by the Australian Institute. In the study released on Thursday, Australians were asked to estimate what percentage of the nations workers are employed by the mining industry. The average response was around 16 per cent, when according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) the actual figure is 1.9 per cent. The survey also found Australians believe that mining accounts for more than one third (35%) of economic activity. However, ABS figures show that the mining industry accounts for around 9.2 per cent of GDP.

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwire - Sept. 8, 2011) - International Montoro Resources Inc. ("Montoro") (TSX VENTURE:IMT)(PINK SHEETS:IMTFF)(FRANKFURT:O4T) has retained Aeroquest International Limited to conduct multiple large scale geophysical and radiometric airborne surveys over the highly prospective "Tacheeda NW" and "Chuchinka NW" Rare Earth Element prospects located in 'The Rocky Mountain Rare Metal Belt' of northern British Columbia. Both of Montoro's newly acquired properties are on trend with properties held by Spectrum Mining Corp. (the "Wicheeda" discovery), who announced a 48.64 metre interval which averaged 3.55% REE, a 72.0 metre interval that averaged 2.92% REE, and a 144 metre interval which averaged 2.20% REE in three separate drill holes.

SASKATOON, SASKATCHEWAN--(Marketwire - Sept. 8, 2011) - Great Western Minerals Group (TSX VENTURE:GWG) (OTCQX:GWMGF) ("GWMG") is pleased to announce the selection of Drillcorp Africa (Pty) Ltd. ("Drillcorp") as the drill contractor for the upcoming exploration and resource evaluation program at the Company's Steenkampskraal Rare Earth Element ("REE") project in South Africa.

THUNDER BAY, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - Sept. 8, 2011) - Rare Earth Metals Inc. ("Rare Earth Metals", "RA" or the "Company") (TSX VENTURE:RA)(PINK SHEETS:RAREF)(OTCQX:RAREF) is pleased to report preliminary Rare Earth Element results from three additional holes on the Two Tom Mineralized Zone at the Red Wine Property, located approximately 110 kilometers northeast of Churchill Falls in west central Labrador. The results include best intersections of 1.86% TREO over 121.5 meters within a larger zone of mineralization which assayed 1.46% TREO over 195.15 meters in drill hole DDH-TT-13, 1.82% TREO over 89 meters in drill hole DDH-TT-14, and 2.15% TREO over 120 meters within a larger zone of mineralization which assayed 1.68% TREO over 176.5 meters in drill hole DDH-TT-15b. The HREO/TREO ratios from these intersections range from 5.2% to 6.0%.

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwire - Sept. 8, 2011) - Barkerville Gold Mines Ltd. (TSX VENTURE:BGM)(FRANKFURT:IWUB) (the "Company") announces that it has completed the purchase of the Antler Creek, Craze Creek and Roundtop Mountain Properties under the terms previously disclosed on August 23, 2011, August 24, 2011 and August 26, 2011 respectively (News Releases 11-24, 11-25 and 11-26).

Atlas Iron Limited (“Atlas”) [ASX: AGO] has today declared its recommended off-market takeover offer (“Recommended Offer”) for all of the fully paid ordinary shares in FerrAus Limited (“FerrAus”) [ASX: FRS] free of all defeating conditions. Additionally, Atlas confirms that FerrAus Shareholders who validly accepted the Recommended Offer before it was declared unconditional will be issued their consideration within 3 business days of today’s date (13 September 2011). FerrAus Shareholders who now validly accept the Recommended Offer will be issued with their Atlas Shares within 3 business days of their acceptance being processed.

Bloomberg reports Silvercorp Metals was contacted by a Canada police unit called the Integrated Market Enforcement Team on Wednesday offering to help find the person behind an anonymous letter alleging a “potential $1.3 billion accounting fraud” at the company. Silvercorp Metals was forced on Friday to make public the letter, also sent to the Ontario Securities Commission, presumably from a shorter of the company's stock as it was also disclosed at the time that someone had built up a short position of some 23 million shares over the preceding two months. The firm with projects in China and Canada plunged 10% after the news broke, but has since regained much of the lost ground.

HOYT LAKES, MINNESOTA--(Marketwire - Sept. 7, 2011) - PolyMet Mining Corp. (TSX:POM)(NYSE Amex:PLM) ("PolyMet" or the "Company") today reported its financial results for the three months ended July 31, 2011, which have been filed at www.polymetmining.comand on SEDAR and EDGAR. The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards ("IFRS"). All amounts are in U.S. funds.