Editorial: Top stories of 2017
Broadly speaking, 2017 was a year of renewed optimism for many miners and mineral explorers, fuelled by stronger commodity prices and long awaited financial payoffs from belt-tightening measures taken during…
Volume 103 Number 26 December 25, 2017 – January 7, 2018
Torex ends work contracts at ELG mine in Guerrero
Torex Gold Resources (TSX: TXG) has suspended the employment contracts for its workforce in Mexico in response to an illegal blockade at its El Limon-Guajes (ELG) gold mine, 180 km…
First Quantum options Northern Dynasty’s Pebble
VANCOUVER — First Quantum Minerals (TSX: FM; US-OTC: FQVLF) is the latest large mining company to place a bet on Northern Dynasty Minerals’ (TSX: NDM; NYSE-AM: NAK) controversial, wholly owned Pebble…
US markets post gains, Dec. 11-15
Gold closed at US$1,255.10 per oz., up US$6.90 per oz. on the week. The Philadelphia Gold and Silver Index rose 4.1% to 80.23 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose…
TSX Venture rises, Dec 11-15
The S&P/TSX Venture Composite Index gained 8.27 points to a 801.23-point close, as spot gold prices rose US$7.95 to US$1,256.44 per oz., and Comex copper prices gained US16¢ to US$3.14…
TSX dips slightly, Dec. 11-15
The U.S. Federal Reserve raised interest rates 0.25% — its third rate increase this year. The central bank said it expects three more interest rate increases in 2018. Spot gold…
Sibanye tables US$383M bid for Lonmin
VANCOUVER — South Africa’s Sibanye-Stillwater (NYSE: SBGL) has launched a US$383-million, all-share bid for debt-heavy peer Lonmin (LON: LMI; US-OTC: LNMIY). If the deal closes, it would be Sibanye’s fourth…
More exploration needed, MinEx’s Schodde says
VANCOUVER — A looming decline in production from Australia’s gold mining industry could be a wake-up call for explorers worldwide, MinEx Consulting managing director Richard Schodde says. The industry soothsayer…
Roskill’s Jack Bedder peers into cobalt crystal ball
Cobalt has more than doubled in price from US$14.75 per lb. in late December 2016 to over US$30 per lb., making it one of the top performing metals this year….
Scotiabank’s Rory Johnston assesses base metal outlook
Rory Johnston is a commodity economist covering energy, metals and agriculture markets in Scotiabank’s economics department. He is the author of the “Scotiabank Commodity Price Index,” a monthly report that…
Commentary: SCC decision on Peel watershed in Yukon another win for First Nations
First Nations have just won an important lawsuit at the Supreme Court of Canada on account that the Yukon government had tried to do an end-run on their land claim…
Copper, nickel outlooks dominate LME Week
VANCOUVER — The annual gathering of London Metal Exchange (LME) Week provides a bellwether for the major trends in base metals and industrial mineral markets over the coming year. Metal…