Editorial: Wave upon wave of tax hikes
The governments of another four large mining jurisdictions are pressing forward with new plans to hike mining taxes and steer more miners’ profits into government coffers.
Commodities Markets
PwC Report: Mining M&A slowdown is temporary
Signs point to a slowdown in global mining mergers and acquisitions (M&A) in the second half of 2011 after a strong start to the year. Deal values and volumes have already decreased by 32% and 19% month over month in July, and a further 25%…
Letter to the editor: Don’t blame the HPGR circuit
An article in last week’s issue (T.N.M., Aug. 29-Sept. 4/11.) on the difficulties experienced since the start-up of Goldcorp’s Penasquito mine in Mexico contains a statement implying that these problems are related to the high-pressure grinding…
Editorial: Ontario treaty ruling seeds new uncertainty
Mining companies and mineral explorers in northern Ontario woke up to a whole new heightened level of legal and bureaucratic uncertainty in late August, with the rendering by the Ontario Supreme Court of a decision in Keewatin v. Minister of…
Commentary: The Keewatin decision, a sea change in provincial control of natural resources?
An Ontario Superior Court, in Keewatin v. Ontario, has cast doubt on the validity of provincial forestry licenses in the Treaty 3 area of northwestern Ontario, which includes the Red Lake gold camp. Mining could also be at risk of litigation in…
Editorial: Egad! Gold corrects
Like farmers on a sunny day who sense a heavy rainfall on the way, gold watchers spent much of August bracing themselves for a major correction in the gold price, even as spot prices kept breaking new, all-time nominal record highs since July….
Commentary: Africa’s boom ‘not just a China story’
In a new report from Renaissance Capital, equity strategist Charles Robertson argues that African nations have begun “the long-awaited period of catch-up with the developed world” and that “the bottom billion is becoming the fastest billion.”
Standard Chartered says gold could hit US$5,000 per oz.
After a decade-long bull market “the gold mining industry has done little to bring on new supply,” Standard Chartered concludes in a new report, arguing that the gold market will be in deficit until at least 2015.
Editorial: Gold majors on uptick
As fresh sovereign debt crises unfold and fears mount over a possible second recession, investors continue to look to gold as a leading safe-haven investment.
New horizons: Canada’s untapped geothermal energy potential
The following is an edited excerpt from the Geological Survey of Canada’s report Geological energy resource potential of Canada. To download the full report visit http://geopub.nrcan.gc.ca.
Commentary: What you need to know about changes to NI 43-101
Canada is home to the majority of the world’s public mining companies and the majority of mining company financings are completed in Canada. As a result, Canada has one of the most developed regulatory systems for mining companies, and its…
Editorial: Hello, US$1,800 gold
August 5 was a day for the history books, as Standard and Poor’s lowered its rating on America’s long-term sovereign credit to “AA+” from “AAA” with a “negative outlook.” This is the first-ever downgrade of the U.S. debt by a major bond-rating…