Global Exploration Snapshot: The Americas, West Africa and Australasia remain popular

BNAmericas reported that Vancouver-based tailings processor Amerigo Resources has resumed operations at its Minera Valle Central complex in central Chile's region VI. The company said that the plant is once again in production, processing both fresh and old tailings from the El Teniente mine. Amerigo halted operations on June 6th 2011 as a result of the ongoing strike by 11,000 contract workers at state copper producer Codelco's El Teniente division. Amerigo's sole business is to process copper and molybdenum tailings from El Teniente, which is by far Codelco's most profitable division.

Korea Resources Corporation as says that its Boleo copper project in Mexico with Canada’s Baja Mining Corporation will begin production in 2013, supplying South Korea with about 30% of the mine’s output. The mine on Mexico’s Baja California Peninsula is expected to produce 38,000 tonnes of copper annually for 23 years starting in the H2 of 2013, according to the the Seoul based company which owns 30% of the project along with other Korean partners. Baja Mining holds the remaining 70% of the mine.

With a new government-backed CEO, a capex budget and acquisition war chest that dwarfs others, record net profits, a very generous dividend policy, strong fundamentals in its core business, aggressive expansion into high-growth areas and regions – notably potash and Africa – and a stock that looks downright cheap next to its peers, what is not to like about Vale? After slumping to an 8-month low less than a month ago it now seems investors are finally beginning to warm to the the diversified Brazilian miner. In the month since Murilo Ferreira has been head, the planet's third most valuable mining company has risen against the other supermajors and outperformed the broader market by 7%.

Sulliden Gold announced positive results from feasibility-level metallurgical test work focused on the oxide-bearing gold and silver material at its 100%-owned Shahuindo Project located in Peru.

Sulliden Gold Corporation Ltd. (TSX:SUE)(OTCQX:SDDDF) has completed a new gold and silver mineral resource estimate for its 100%-owned Shahuindo Project in Peru. The updated estimate delivered a 121% increase of indicated gold ounces in the oxides and a 397% increase in inferred gold ounces from the sulphides relative to the 2009 year-end estimate. Sulliden continues to actively drill the Shahuindo property and new results will continue to be released throughout 2011. Image of the Shahuindo Project by Sulliden Resources

Vaaldiam Mining net loss more than tripled in the first quarter to $7.6m after suspending operations at the Duas Barras diamond mine in Brazil. By close of trade on Wednesday shares in the company had fallen 21%, close to an all-time low leaving it with a market capitalization of a paltry $12m, a far cry from the $150m-plus valuation it commanded a decade ago. Vaaldiam said it will now focus on the development of the Brauna mine in Brazil after it paid $6.5m to increase its stake in the project to 51% in March. It has two other diamond mines in the country that are on care and maintenance.

Reuters reports that half of contractors in a strike at Chile's El Teniente mine have ended their strike. The market news is quoted as saying: Mine owner Codelco [CODEL.UL] expects to lift output to 51 percent capacity on Thursday after the world's top underground operation slowed production to 40 percent capacity over the weekend to protect staff workers amid escalating violence by protesters.

Capella Resources Ltd. (TSX VENTURE:KPS)(PINK SHEETS:CPSJF) is pleased to announce that it has discovered two new mineralization zones at its Lajitas gold-copper project in northern Chile as a result of the recently completed airborne hyperspectral imaging survey by SpecTIR LLC of Reno, Nevada.

Barrick Gold is suing Goldcorp over the El Morro copper mine in Chile, the Globe and Mail reported yesterday. According to the newspaper: Toronto-based Barrick Gold Corp., (ABX-T44.24-0.39-0.87%) the world’s largest gold producer, is fighting Goldcorp Inc. (G-T46.82-0.59-1.24%)after the Vancouver company scooped up a majority stake in the El Morro development, one of the largest known copper and gold deposits in South America. Barrick alleges Goldcorp’s deal to buy Swiss miner Xstrata PLC’s 70-per-cent stake in El Morro was done illegally and is suing both parties, along with New Gold Inc., (NGD-T9.09-0.06-0.66%) which has a 30-per-cent stake in the project.