According to Metals Economics Group’s (MEG) recent Strategic Report, the 2011 dollar volume of significant ($25 million minimum) acquisitions totaled $47.4 billion—down 4% from 2010’s $49.3 billion. In the context of an ongoing European economic crisis and lower growth expectations for China, 2011’s total spending... Read more »

According to the Mexican Mining Chamber, in 2010 revenue mining and metallurgical production (US$13.16 billion) surpassed the revenue generation of Mexico's tourism industry and established mining as the country’s second most productive sector after oil and gas. The growth of the sector has led to increased exploration... Read more »

Mexico is a major producer of silver, gold and base metals. In addition, the country is also a leading producer of celestite, bismuth, fluorite, cadmium, molybdenum, graphite, and manganese. In the Fraser Institute's most recent Survey... Read more »

In 2010, Mexico overtook Peru in silver production, reaching the world’s top position, with 128.6 million ounces produced. Mexico currently ranks 12th in gold production, and many think the country has a strong possibility of ranking among the top five within the next few years. In terms of foreign investors, Canada... Read more »

Perhaps we should call this article, "PDAC Revisited". While meeting with mining company executives at the annual Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada (PDAC) convention in Toronto in March, we wanted to know what was coming up in Q2, 2012? For some companies, it was business as usual, but a number of... Read more »

There is always a sector among the raw materials on the verge of a period of "euphoria". On the chart below, each resource is represented by a company, because the indexes do not exist for all of the individual resources. Notice that, for 10 years, there is always a sector that is in a phase of "boom",... Read more »

The past year has been a rough ordeal for nearly every sector of the market, but the metals and mining industry seemed to be battered on all fronts, despite previous run-ups in commodity prices across the board.  As if a stalled economic recovery on a global scale and a debt crisis in Europe were not enough, the industry... Read more »

After meeting with mining companies for the past two days at the annual PDAC convention in Toronto, we're pleased to present a list of upcoming mining milestones in March. Or shall we say, March/early April as prefaced by many of the executives in attendance at this year's convention. In alphabetical order, here's... Read more »

From Metals Economics Group’s (MEG) Exploration Activity Services, the dollar amount of junior financings declined 24% in 2011 to $21.5 billion from $28.1 billion in 2010 and increased 12% from 2009 and 43% from 2008 totals. Of the total, financing amounts for base metals fell 32%, while the decline for gold... Read more »

We are delighted to bring you the MiningFeeds bottom fishing report. And to catch these fish, you don't need to know how to noodle. Noodling is the term used for fishing with your bare hands. Noodling is practiced primarily in the southern United States and the primary choice of noodlers is the flathead catfish. Flathead... Read more »

Base metals were the laggards among commodities last year, with copper one of the worst performers, losing 21 percent. Global consumption of copper increased only 4 percent in 2011, which is lower than the 10 percent growth in 2010, but higher than the decade-average of around 3 percent, says Macquarie Research.... Read more »

History says that government policy shifts can have a tremendous affect on the economy and the markets. While no one can predict the future, you can use probability in your favor. For example, Chinese stocks have historically moved with money supply. In the webcast, Analyst Xian Liang showed the chart below plotting the... Read more »

From contributor David McKay, Miningmx. ANGLO American's (LSE:AAL) recent corporate maneouvres have really caught the eye, especially the sale of its 24.5% stake in Anglo American Sur, its Chile base metals company, to Mitsubishi. Analysts have described it... Read more »

The ongoing crisis in Europe has not only affected emerging markets, it has also negatively influenced the price of many commodities. UBS states that an “escalating bank funding stress in Europe is forcing a profound deleveraging process.” As U.S.money markets have been forced to pull their funds out of Europe, the... Read more »

Here are your "Movers and Shakers" for the week ending September 16th, 2011 on the TSX and TSX-V Exchanges. In no particular... Read more »

Last night Steve Jobs announced his retirement from Apple stating that he felt he could no longer fulfill his duties as the head of what has possibly become the world's most famous company. An announcement that was perhaps expected given his ongoing health issues and frenetic work schedule. In response to the announcement,... Read more »

The Province of British Columbia, Canada is experiencing a mining renaissance. What’s happening in the province, in regards to mining, should be on every investors radar screen. Vancouver is undoubtedly one of the greatest mining centers in the world and British Columbia should be a mining powerhouse when one considers... Read more »

World production of the gray precious metal rose again in 2010. Silver, unlike gold, has seen production levels increase since 2003. This difference in production between gold and silver is not a coincidence due to geology and the history of their production. World production of silver in 2010 was 713... Read more »

Like most Canadians, the TSX took a break for Canada day celebrations on Friday after posting four consecutive positive days. And to the south, U.S. stocks posted their biggest weekly rally in two years with the Dow Jones Industrial Average rising 648 points after Greece took action to avoid default on its debt. “... Read more »

A cursory look at Peruvian mining will show you that many of the world's senior mining companies have operations there. The list of majors in the South American county includes Barrick Gold (TSX: ABX), Newmont Mining (TSX: NMC), BHP Billiton (NYSE: BHP), Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold (NYSE: FCX), and Teck Resources... Read more »

On March 19th, 1997 Michael de Guzman, the exploration manager for would-be miner Bre-X, jumped from an Alouette helicopter flying eight-hundred feet above the Indonesian jungle. The official version of the events state that de Guzman was suffering from hepatitis B and a tormented conscience. He left behind a few hastily... Read more »

Eritrea, a funnel shaped country that borders The Red Sea, was, because of its unstable political history, a bit of a mystery to the international mining community. But an unprecedented... Read more »

Blink and you may have missed it. If the recent downturn in commodities is coming to an end, as some suggest, it was a brief correction. While the recent slump actually contained the worst week for commodities since the recession of late 2008, many believe it's a mere blip. Hussein Allidina, head of commodity research... Read more »

On May 8th, 2011, just two days after the federal government gave the environmental thumbs-up on the Northwest Transmission Line (NTL), two B.C. First Nations say they will join forces to fight... Read more »

On February 11th, Erin Ventures (TSXV:EV), a Victoria based junior miner, reported a mysterious website had surfaced belonging to a company called Mineral Mining PLC. In the website the company claimed to own a number of mineral properties that were already owned by Erin Ventures; namely, the... Read more »

In mining and economics, base metals are often referred to as non-ferrous metals. Non-ferrous metals is a broad category that includes the likes of aluminum, molybdenum, tantalum and magnesium. However, 'The Big 5' in the group are copper, zinc, lead, nickel and iron. When investors think of base metals they probably... Read more »

Base metal mining companies have, for many years, operated in the shadows of precious metal miners. But with increasing demand from China and developing nations around the world, base metal miners may finally be getting the respect they deserve. Patricia Mohr, commodities specialist at Scotiabank, recently went so far... Read more »

3. Mirabela Nickel Ltd. (TSX:MNB) By the end of 2008 Nickel prices had fallen by 80% from their May 2007 high of just over (US) $52,000 per tonne. In the first half of 2009, in the midst of the economic crisis, around a quarter of all nickel production from 2008 was suspended. Major producers such as... Read more »

Iron is the most commonly used of all metals and accounts for the majority (est. 95%) of the world's total annual metal production. China continues to be the main importer of the mineral and driver of global demand. China's daily crude steel output... Read more »

8. Invernia Inc. (TSX:IVW) April showers do not always bring May flowers. On April 5th, 2011 Ivernia’s shares were halted and the company announced that its wholly owned subsidiary, Magellan Metals, discovered mud on the bottom of... Read more »

Copper record highs means the base metal is making headlines most every day; merger and acquisition mania is now in full flight. MiningFeeds.com takes a look at a couple of TSX listed junior copper miners that noted CIBC analyst Ian Parkinson says are ripe for takeover. But first, let's revisit the manic events... Read more »

In the mining circles of Sudbury, Ontario it takes a lot to raise an eyebrow. The resource business has been ingrained in the town for a long time. Long enough, in fact, that Sudbury's founding dovetails with the very creation of the country. During construction of the the Canadian Pacific Railway in 1883, blasting... Read more »

After the market closed yesterday, Teck Resources (TSX:TCK.B) released its Q1 2011 financial results. The rosy report included earnings of $461-million, or 78 cents per share.  Adjusted quarterly profit was $450-million, which was more than double the $198-million reported in the first quarter of... Read more »

Ollanta Humala is not a name that many outside of South America are familiar with. In 2006, however, the Peruvian Nationalist actually won the first round in Peru's 2006 presidential vote. Although Hugo Chavez openly backed him Humala was, ultimately, defeated in a runoff 53 per cent to 47... Read more »

In what has become a near daily occurrence, civil unrest erupted in another developing African nation today. The Ivory Coast is in the news once again. On Saturday, the Red Cross said that at least 800 civilians were... Read more »

Copper Fox (TSXV:CUU) investors are use to playing the waiting game, but the company's management just might be experts. Copper Fox listed on the TSX Venture in June 2004 to explore the potential of Schaft Creek, which the company believes is one one of the largest undeveloped copper deposits in North... Read more »

Today, after twenty-four hours of speculation, Equinox Minerals  launched a hostile bid for Lundin Mining. The move temporarily leaves Symterra blowing in the wind. What is Symterra you ask? That is the proposed name of a new entity resulting from the friendly merger of Lundin Mining and Inmet Mining... Read more »