Editorial: It’s closin’ time
Mine closings and layoffs. Yes, with metal prices pulling back sharply this past half year, we’ve finally reached that painful inflection point in the commodity cycle where mine suspensions and closin…
Australia, NZ & South Pacific
Chinalco limited to 15% Rio Tinto stake
The Australian government has approved a maximum holding of 14.99% in the shares of Rio Tinto PLC( RTP-N, RIO-L) for Aluminum Corp. of China (Chinalco). The approval is subject to the conditions that …
Australia allows Chinalco a 15% Rio Tinto stake
The Australian government has approved a maximum limit of 14.99% holding in the shares of mining giant Rio Tinto PL…
Glass Earth Gold steps up drilling across New Zealand
PERTH, WESTERN AUSTRALIA — Wellington-based junior Glass Earth Gold (GEL-V, GELGF-O) is among New Zealand’s most active explorers and probably the only one with drilling campaigns on both the North a…
Aussie junior Waratah Coal takes Queensland by storm
It’s a coal exploration company that many investors in Toronto may never have heard of, but Waratah Coal (WCI-V, WGO-A) is certainly making a big splash in Australia.
Indonesia could be tricky for BHP
A battle could be brewing for BHP Billiton (BHP-N, BLT-L) on a small island in Indonesia, where the company could soon find itself in the sights of environmental groups.
Aussie billionaire to form China-focused resource giant
An Australian billionaire plans to launch his private company, Resource Development International (RDI), as a resources giant that would supply iron ore, nickel and energy to China.
Ivernia sees end to Magellan shutdown (August 25, 2008)
Ivernia’s (IVW-T, IVWFF-O) Magellan lead mine in Western Australia is still on care and maintenance but the company says it made some significant strides toward restarting the mine during the second a…
Intrepid posts Indonesian resource (August 25, 2008)
VANCOUVER — A resource estimate for a portion of the Tujuh Bukit gold project in Indonesia only a few months after Intrepid Mines (IAU-T, IAU-A) acquired the project through a merger with Emperor Min…
For Uranium One, the Honeymoon’s over (August 25, 2008)
VANCOUVER — Uranium One’s (UUU-T, SXRZF-O) decision to sell some of its earlier-stage uranium properties this spring has hit it with a US$105-million impairment charge in its second quarter for a US$…
Barrick’s Q2 strong despite rising costs
Despite a 91% jump in oil prices, which averaged US$124 per barrel in the second quarter compared with US$65 per barrel in the same quarter a year ago, Barrick Gold’s (ABX-T, ABX-N) second-quarter rev…
‘Friedland envy’ haunts Diggers & Dealers
KALGOORLIE, WESTERN AUSTRALIA — Over the past five years, master entrepreneur Robert Friedland has created a guessing game at Australia’s biggest mining conference, the Diggers & Dealers Mining F…