Trading Summary (April 21, 2003)

Toronto’s gold stocks put in a 4.69-point or nearly 3% gain to help the S&P/TSX Composite Index 45.08 points higher to 6,570.76. The diversified brethren couldn’t keep pace, but did manage to tack on 0.66 of a point to make 121.36 points.

McWatters Mining was the most traded mining issue gaining a penny and a half with just short of 4 million shares on the go. Winter drilling at the company’s Kiena mine has extended the P zone over a distance of 1.2 km. McWatters also says the zone is associated with the C vein. Drilling also extended the main S-50 zone over 200 metres towards the south-southeast section of the main S-50 lens.

Eldorado Gold was next in line with an 8 gain to $1.96 on a trading volume of about 2.9 million shares. Also finishing on the top ten traded list was Nevsun Resources, which regained 37 to make $3.45. The company said on Monday that operations continue despite the killing of one of its geologists in Eritrea. Officials from the African country blame terrorism.

Barrick Gold rounded out the top ten list ending 54 higher at $22.88 with 1.48 million shares traded. The country’s remaining major gold producers were nor quite as busy; Placer Dome rose 47 to $14.97 and Kinross Gold finished 31 richer at $9.46. Both saw fewer than a million shares cross the floor.Same story for the base metal miners, Noranda added 15 to reach $12.65 with just 604,197 shares ranking it the busiest of the group. Teck Cominco advanced 33 or 3.1% to $10.97.

Canada’s junior exchange managed to start the trading week off on an up tick despite declining issues leading advancing stocks by a 266 to 240 margin. The S&P-TSX Venture Exchange composite index added 3.70 points, or 0.35%, and closed at 1,049.87.

Spider Resources was the day’s volume leader among junior explorers ending the session flat at 14 with 751,000shares traded. The junior and joint venture partner, over the counter-listed, KWG Resources recently reported more massive sulphide intercepts on their Spider #3 base metal prospect in the James Bay Lowlands of Northern Ontario.

Donner Minerals lost 2 to close at 14 on 530,000 shares traded. The junior recently completed a 3-hole, 992 metre drill program over its Stephens Lake property in Manitoba. One of the holes cut 72 metres of sulphide iron formation. Assay results are pending. Donner entered into an agreement with Falconbridge to earn a 50% interest in the project by spending $5 million.

Making a nice percentage move, Samex Mining added 12 to close at 30 on 400,917 shares. The junior made the final payment required completing the purchase of approximately 1,475 ha in central Chile. Samex purchased the concessions for US$50,000 cash (US$10,000 on execution of the agreement, and a final payment of US$40,000).