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 »

Most of the dollars created in the stimulus programs (QE 1 & 2) after 2008 did not make it into circulation to be spent by small businesses (the largest job creators) or consumers (the driver of the US economy). They're either parked at the Federal Reserve or the world’s central banks as foreign reserves (many... 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 »

U.S. stocks rallied, driving the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index to its best weekly gain since March affirming the old Wall Street adage that "markets climb a wall of fear". The equity markets surged ahead on strong corporate earnings despite negative international news, almost across the board. On Friday, it was... Read more »

In 2012, gold bulls have plenty of room to graze in the stockyard these days as the investing herd migrated to other assets during the market’s steep climb. For the fourth time in the past year, gold bears outnumbered the bulls in Bloomberg’s weekly Gold Bull/Bear Sentiment Survey. In fact, the bears had the bulls outnumbered... Read more »

The world has been experiencing the largest liquidity boom, as the central banks’ seven-month easing binge continues. Over this time, ISI counted 127 different stimulative policies, such as printing money, lowering interest rates and other easing measures, taken by governments around the world. The policy shifts... 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 »

With the first quarter of a new year in the books we step back this month, take stock if you will, look towards the future and ponder what's in store for the balance of 2012. This year has been marked by volatility in both the commodities sector and the equity markets in general. Crude oil is north of $100 per barrel... Read more »

3. Geologix Explorations Inc. (Stock Profile - TSX:GIX & OTC:GIXEF) Perhaps it's finally time for Geologix to change its name. After years of exploration and development the company is getting close to transitioning... 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 »

Rising bond yields, a stronger U.S. dollar and an improving U.S. economy have squelched expectations for a third round of quantitative easing (QE3) and consequently, spelled trouble for gold. Since late February, gold has declined more than 7 percent. As confidence improves, UBS says the yellow metal is losing the... 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 »

Today, the U.S. Commerce Department said the economy grew at a slightly faster pace in the final three months of last year. It expanded at a 3.0 percent annual rate from October to December, the fastest pace since the spring of 2010. The data was slightly ahead of estimates and a full 1.2 percent better that the numbers... Read more »

The World Gold Council (WGC) reaffirmed the power of the Love Trade in its 2011 Gold Demand Trends report released this week. Gold demand grew 0.4 percent in 2011 despite a 28 percent year-over-year increase in bullion’s average price. After flirting with the top spot for some time, China emerged as the world’s largest... Read more »

As the European debt crisis captured headlines around the world the markets, as expected, were volatile this week. And resource stocks, in particular, were under pressure. Despite the images of buildings burning in Athens, equity markets were resilient and closed the week with modest gains. The big stories this week... Read more »

Greece’s predicament just became substantially worse. Frustrated by missed deadlines and last minute twilight dealings, Euro zone finance officials are now examining ways of delaying parts or even all of a second... 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 »

Solid fundamentals, strong balance sheets and an appetite for growth is expected to drive M&A in the global mining and metals sector in 2012, says Ernst & Young’s Global Mining & Metals Transaction Leader, Lee Downham. Commenting... Read more »

Gold is not vital to human existence, in fact, it has relatively few practical uses. But its unique atomic properties and its imperishable lustre have made it one of the world’s most coveted commodities. A long-standing symbol of beauty, wealth, and immortality; Egyptian pharaohs insisted on being entombed in the... Read more »

Canadian fund manager Eric Sprott said this week he was bullish on precious metals and bearish on cyclical commodities like base metals. Sprott said, "I am not bullish on cyclical commodities such as iron ore, coal, steel, lead and zinc because I am worried about this economic contraction that everybody is talking... Read more »

Metals Economics Group (MEG) Pipeline Activity Index (PAI) increased in November to reach its highest level since March 2011, thanks to another record month of significant drill results and improved financings, before falling again in December as explorers paused for the holiday season. December’s drop was mitigated... Read more »

2012 is upon us and it was a good opening week for the both the markets and mining companies alike. On the heels of intense tax-loss selling in December despite positive economic data hitting the headlines as 2011 came to a close, nothing seemed to stem the tide of December tax-loss selling as many mining issuers set... Read more »

Negative real interest rates occur when the inflationary rate, or CPI, is greater than the current interest rate. A quick account of the G-7 and E-7 countries shows that the majority have negative real interest rates. Across the developed G-7 countries, British citizens are the worst off with real interest rates... Read more »

According to Metals Economics Group’s (MEG) Corporate Exploration Strategies, the estimated total 2011 budget for nonferrous metals exploration surged to $18.2 billion.... Read more »

According to a recent mining industry report by Metals Economics Group (MEG), Latin American gold production should increase more than 10% in 2011. The report states that about two thirds of Latin American production is from primary gold mines and the rest is from secondary sources, mostly copper and silver mines. Although... Read more »

With money markets and Treasuries yielding next to nothing these days, investors are finding income in new places. One area those investors should consider is gold mining. With gold rising in value, mining companies are reaping record profit margins, yet the stock prices are depressed due to lack of investor interest.... Read more »

Since hitting $1,900 an ounce through the beginning of October, gold has declined nearly 11 percent. Over the same timeframe, the NYSE Arca Gold Miners Index lost almost 13 percent. That’s a closer performance correlation than the roughly 3-to-1 gold equities to bullion ratio we’ve historically seen and could mean the... Read more »

It was another big week in the markets with positive gains across most of the world's major exchanges. The TSX and TSX-V were no exception up 4.1% and 3.7% respectively. But we're not interested in single digit returns, we're taking a look at the top three mining companies that posted the biggest percentage gains this... Read more »

As I have explained in my previous post on the world gold production, the share of major gold producing countries in the world gold production decreases. But what about the relative production from major gold miners? As shown in the chart below,... Read more »

Pipeline Activity Index (PAI) decreased for the second consecutive month in July, then slightly improved in August on the back of a record number of significant drill results. Both months remained below the PAI’s 2011 year-to-date average and well short of the March 2011 high, as the increased exploration activity was... Read more »

Demand for gold isn’t only coming from the residents of China and India. There’s been a huge sentiment shift among central banks as well. Toussaint noted how, after many years of selling, central banks have become net buyers of gold. He says, “Western Central banks have essentially shut the tap off, and the vast majority... 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 »

Gold is making regular headlines these days as global economic uncertainty remains high and the yellow metal recently reached record prices of just over $1,900 per ounce. Since a sharp correct where gold gave back over $200, the price has recovered and gold is currently trading around $1,885 per ounce. Goldman... Read more »

On Monday, the price of gold traded above $1,920 an ounce which marked another record setting day for gold bullion. The record was set after the Swiss National Bank announced it would imposed an exchange rate cap on the soaring Swiss franc to stave off a recession. The Swiss National Bank intends to keep the franc at... Read more »

Is this the modern day version of the California gold rush or is gold in the process of forming a bubble? Erik Sprott from Sprott Asset Management is thinking steam ships and gold pans. In an article entitled, "Debunking... Read more »

3. Eldorado Gold Corp. (TSX: ELD) If you were to sum up the story of the bull market in metals in two words, then "Chinese demand" might rank as high as any other pairing. Though, as... Read more »

On May 16th, 2011 it was reported that U.S. investment billionaire and former gold advocate George Soros, through Soros Fund Management, sold nearly $800 million of gold during the first quarter after the precious hit a record high of $1,577 an ounce... Read more »

8. Goldcorp Inc. (TSX:G) Lean and mean. The bull market in gold, which has, in ten years, moved the yellow metal from $270 to over $1,900 an ounce has obviously been a boon GoldCorp, as it has for many gold producers. But by ridding itself of non-core assets, cutting costs and making practical acquisitions,... Read more »

In China, gold production has increased for the eleventh consecutive year. China is the world largest gold producer for the third time in history with 345 tonnes of gold produced this year. Among the top gold-producing countries, China, with its increasing gold production, seems to go against the general trend of decreasing... 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 »

Today marks the fifteenth day in which the TSX has experienced a large point gain or loss, most of which have been triple digit. In the U.S., the Dow Jones has investors on the edge of their seats as volatility reigns supreme. A worsening economy, a US debt downgrade from Standard & Poor's and a move from the Federal... Read more »

Political risk, a term Gold Reserve (TSX:GRX) shareholders know well. Investors in Gold Reserve knew what they were getting into in Venezuela, or they should have. Gold Reserve's Brisas deposit is directly adjacent to Crystallex's Las Cristinas deposit, which, after both companies suffered through... Read more »

Last year, political strategist and monetary economist Cedric Muhammad said, "At 29-years old and a base of support among the youth and business... Read more »

In a note to clients today, Goldman Sachs said it expects gold prices to continue to climb in 2011 given the current low level of U.S. real interest rates. "We recommend near-dated consumer hedges in gold,"... 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 »

Gold equities have climbed an astonishing 1,400% since their 2000 lows while the S&P 500 has declined 11%. However, 2011 has not been a good year for gold stocks. Gold has risen 7% so far in 2011, essentially in line with the S&P 500, but gold equities have not performed well and currently lag behind by about... Read more »

Tanzania has become one of the fastest emerging gold producers in Africa, and is now the continent’s third largest gold producing country after South Africa and Ghana. Tanzania has proven gold reserves in excess of 36 million ounces and each year since 1998, a... 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 »

After reaching a recent high of $1,577 on April 30th, the price of an ounce of gold reversed course and dropped dramatically, hitting a low of $1,462 on May 4th, a decline of 7.3% in just four days. But since then gold has been trending upward, gold is currently up over $7 to $1,526 an ounce. In the days leading... 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 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 »

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 »

With the TSX composite index down almost 500 points in two trading days investors are back on the fence waiting for, what some say, could be a long overdue correction in the global equity markets. Before the correction, the TSX was up 7.5% since the start of the year. Thomas Lee, a U.S. equity strategist at J.P. Morgan... Read more »

For more than two years, the rise of Romarco Minerals (TSX:R) has been nothing less than remarkable. As late as October, 2008 shares of the Toronto based company could be had for a dime. The promise of the company's pending Haile gold project in South Carolina, however, has meant a steady rise to recent... 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 »

These days, mining companies worldwide are getting hit by soaring costs. The price of raw materials, energy and labour have all experienced steep and recent increases. Barrick Gold (TSX: ABX), the world's largest... Read more »

Colombia may not be as well known for mining as some of its more established neighbors in South America such as Chile and Peru, but recently, two TSX listed gold miners, Greystar Resources (TSX:GSL) and Ventana Gold (TSX:VEN) have done their best to bridge the historical gap. Greystar... Read more »

When Century Mining, (TSXV: CMM) early last April, announced a final release agreement to eliminate royalties and future payments associated with their Lamaque gold mine with Teck Resources, it looked like the company was moving in the right direction. On April 28th, 2010, just a few... Read more »

Can the price of gold keep rising? Talk to gold bugs and they will tell you key drivers such as political instability and inflation are bigger issues today than when the yellow metal began the stellar rise that tripled its price in half a decade. But gold has its critics, and their rebuttal was crystallized by... Read more »

Canadian listed gold mining and exploration companies are enjoying an unprecedented funding environment. Investors, consequently, are anticipating that a number of discoveries will hit the street in 2011 as exploration and mining companies deliver results from substantial drill programs. A booming market also... Read more »

3. Centamin Egypt Ltd. (TSX: CEE) When the world changes, the market changes. While financial concerns naturally take a backseat to those concerning human rights, the uprising in Egypt and subsequent demonstrations throughout Northern Africa illustrate that the two are inextricably linked. When the... Read more »