MINING MARKETS & INVESTMENT NEWS — INSIDER TRADING — Normandy executives boost holdings

Recent insider trading transactions reported by the Ontario Securities Commission in its OSC Bulletin include the following:

• Aurado Exploration (AEO-T) — Paul Conroy, director, sold 88,500 shares indirectly at 8-12 cents to hold 54,500 shares indirectly; John Pollock, director, bought 500,000 shares privately at 8 cents, sold 373,500 shares directly at 7-9 cents and sold 174,000 indirectly at an unspecified price to hold 245,000 shares directly and 652,692 indirectly; and Robert Pollock, director, bought 50,000 shares privately at 8 cents and another 10,000 directly at 11 cents, and sold 15,000 shares at 8 cents, to hold 70,000 shares directly and 50,000 indirectly.
• Normandy Mining (NDY-T) — Robert de Crespigny, director, bought 69,622 shares at $1.11-1.16 to hold 65.1 million shares; Ian Gould, director, bought 43,513 shares indirectly at $1.11-1.16 to hold 1.08 million shares indirectly and 20,371 directly; Bruce McKay, director, bought 4,331 shares indirectly at $1.11-1.16 to hold 108,047 shares indirectly and 8,206 directly; Mark Cutifani, officer, bought 17,406 shares indirectly at $1.11-1.16 to hold 432,189 shares indirectly; David Hillier, officer, bought 15,027 shares indirectly at $1.11-1.16 to hold 467,824 shares indirectly; Bruce Kay, officer, bought 17,406 shares indirectly at $1.11-1.16 to hold 432,190 shares indirectly and 21,370 directly; John Reynolds, officer, bought 51,888 shares indirectly at $1.11-1.27 to hold 432,189 shares indirectly; Richard Robinson, officer, bought 17,407 shares indirectly at $1.11-1.16 to hold 432,188 shares indirectly; and Darryl Smith, officer, bought 17,405 shares indirectly at $1.11-1.16 to hold 432,188 shares indirectly.
• Tahera (TAH-T) — Crabbe Huson Group, a U.S.-based investment firm that holds more than 10% of the company, sold 3.39 million shares indirectly at US8-12 cents to hold 18.9 million shares indirectly. The firm has settled with the OSC (US$120,000 in fines and $40,000 in fees) its past violations of the Securities Act, namely its failure to report having acquired, in 1997, more than 10% (and then 20%) of Lytton Minerals, one of two companies that merged earlier this year to form Tahera.
• Viceroy Resource (VOY-T) — The company repurchased 313,000 shares at $1.15 and 3,000 shares at $1.22 to hold 1.93 million shares.
• Wheaton River Minerals (WRM-T) — The company repurchased 99,500 shares at 23-25 cents to hold 120,000 shares.

  Meanwhile, transactions reported south of the border include the following:

• Southern Peru Copper (PCU-N) — Frank Tweddle, vice-president, sold 350 shares at US$13.80 to hold 2,100 shares.
• Stillwater Mining (SWC-X) — James Sabala, officer, bought 500 shares at US$24.25 to double his holdings to 1,000 shares.
• Royal Gold (RGLD-Q) — Peter Babin, president, exercised 10,000 options at US13 cents and sold 2,000 shares at US$4.56 to hold 233,400 shares.
• Arabian Shield Development (ARSD-Q) — Jonathan Cocks, officer, sold 1,500 shares at US$1.06 to hold none.