Toronto Stock Exchange Sept. 25-Oct. 1

Stronger performances from the mining sector helped the TSX Composite Index continue on its path to recovery as it gained 242.3 points to finish the Sept. 25-Oct. 1 trading period at 14,200.58.

The yellow metal maintained its recent gains, grossing another US$1 to end the session at US$731 per oz. — although its higher price has yet to translate into big gains on the market for gold miners. The Global Gold Index climbed just 2.39 points to finish at 309.35 for the week.

The Capped Metals and Mining Index showed continued strength, rising to 900.24 from last period’s close of 871.41. It was bolstered by stronger copper, aluminum, tin and zinc prices. Nickel and lead prices, however, came off a bit.

Yamana Gold was the period’s most actively traded with nearly 52 million shares changing hands. The gold miner announced an increase in the cash component of its offer for Meridian Gold by 50 per share to a total of $7 per share. Meridian’s shareholders now stand to get $7 in cash plus 2.235 Yamana shares for each Meridian share. Yamana stock finished the period down 21 at $11.88.

CGA Mining was the period’s largest gainer by percentage. The company gained 40% to finish at $1.22, after announcing financing for the construction of its Masbate gold mine, in the Philippines. CGA is raising US$60 million through a private placement and US$65 million through debt.

Toronto-based Orvana Minerals was next in line on the big gains list, climbing 39.2% to $1.10 on no news. At the end of August, the company announced record production, revenues and earnings from its primary project, the Don Mario mine in eastern Bolivia.

News that it was forming an exploration alliance with Newmont Mining propelled Cardero Resource into the top three. Shares in the Vancouver-based company shot up 38% to $1.84 on an announcement that the two will explore a variety of prospective gold properties, in northwestern Argentina.

On the downside, news that Cusac Gold Mines had to stop development of its Table Mountain gold mine, in northern B.C., sent the company’s shares tumbling 25% to 12. On Oct. 1, Cusac announced that water flows from a fault, intersected by a decline at its East Bain project, had proved too challenging to continue work over the winter. The company plans to restart the project in the spring.

Tahera Diamond continued its remarkable downward slide, falling another 21% to 30, on news that it had to defer payments to jeweller Tiffany & Co.

Tiffany was a key lender to Tahera, and Tahera was supposed to start repayments at the end of September. Tahera says it will announce a new financing plan in the coming weeks. The company has been beset with both technical and diamond-quality problems since it began operations at its Jericho mine, in Nunavut.

TSX greatest percentage change

		VOLUME(000s)	HIGH	LOW	CLOSE		CHANGE
European Ml wt	EPM_T	129	0.62	0.43	0.62	+	44.1
CGA Mining	CGA	514	1.30	0.94	1.22	+	40.2
Orvana Mnrls	ORV	2176	1.12	0.79	1.10	+	39.2
Cardero Res	CDU	518	1.91	1.25	1.84	+	38.3
Redcorp Vent	RDV	5534	0.35	0.23	0.32	+	28.0
Intrepid Mnrl	IAU	470	0.33	0.25	0.33	+	26.9
Richview Res	RVR	1740	0.225	0.155	0.19	+	26.6
Glencairn Gold	GGG	13820	0.255	0.15	0.205	+	24.2
Timminco	TIM	20362	16.35	11.52	14.20	+	23.6
Banro Res	BAA	420	12.50	9.09	11.40	+	21.2
Cusac Gold	CQC	2201	0.165	0.10	0.12	–	25.0
Tahera Diam	TAH	4995	0.38	0.28	0.295	–	21.3
Ascendant Copp	ACX	5179	0.215	0.145	0.17	–	20.9
North Atlc Res	NAC	106	0.76	0.65	0.65	–	16.6
Khan Res	KRI	1549	2.41	2.01	2.05	–	15.6
Contl Precious	CZQ	1223	2.47	2.07	2.07	–	13.7
Malaga	MLG	1221	0.67	0.50	0.52	–	13.3
Endeavr Silver	EDR	1290	3.71	3.20	3.23	–	12.9
Spur Ventures	SVU	1272	0.70	0.59	0.61	–	12.8
Ascendant C wt	ACX_T	62	0.04	0.035	0.035	–	12.5

TSX greatest value change

		VOLUME	CLOSE		CHANGE
Potash Cp Sask	POT	4695394	108.73	+	7.95
First Quantum	FM	3878148	98.79	+	4.05
Inmet Mining	IMN	1049605	103.00	+	3.10
Timminco	TIM	20361980	14.20	+	2.72
Polaris Minls	PLS	1928865	14.11	+	2.27
Banro Res	BAA	420339	11.40	+	2.00
MMX Min e Met	XMM	136476	18.50	+	1.80
Agnico-Eagle	AEM	4690527	50.69	+	1.70
Quadra Mng	QUA	2758495	19.60	+	1.65
Teck Comin B	TCKB	9262861	49.12	+	1.57
Newmont Mng	NMC	339249	45.61	–	2.78
Katanga Mng	KAT	1899753	16.35	–	1.90
Silvercorp Mtl	SVM	709548	20.32	–	1.23
Platmin	PPN	42822	8.00	–	0.99
Horizns G Bear	HGD	334960	14.61	–	0.64
Imperial Metal	III	95836	14.87	–	0.61
Central Gold-T	GTU_U	17052	27.75	–	0.60
Virginia Mines	VGQ	222358	6.92	–	0.57
HudBay Minls	HBM	8578683	26.00	–	0.56
Cameco Corp	CCO	13581541	44.60	–	0.55

TSX most active issues

		VOLUME(000s)	HIGH	LOW	CLOSE		CHANGE
Yamana Gold	YRI	51983	12.22	11.35	11.88	–	0.21
Breakwater Res	BWR	51272	3.25	2.65	3.07	+	0.37
Eastern Platin	ELR	38936	2.37	2.10	2.32	+	0.03
Kinross Gold	K	30578	15.39	14.41	15.34	+	0.34
Paladin Res	PDN	27041	6.95	6.01	6.51	+< /td>	0.35
Aura Mnls	ORA	21957	1.60	1.28	1.51	+	0.14
Goldcorp	G	20932	31.18	29.02	30.97	+	1.01
Timminco	TIM	20362	16.35	11.52	14.20	+	2.72
Barrick Gold	ABX	20100	41.09	37.90	40.86	+	0.86
Uranium One	UUU	18588	13.34	12.00	12.83	+	0.58