Subdued demand for copper and lead
The following is the third of four instalments culled from The Commodity Refiner, published by London, U.K.-based Barclays Capital Research. This week we offer an overview of copper and lead markets.C…
BHP Billiton Canada Inc
Miners in retreat
Despite a stronger performance by base metals, the share prices of the base metal giants took a pounding during the April 23-29 report period.Investors are concerned about base metals’ exposure to any…
South Africans target platinum in Zimbabwe
Vancouver — Over the past decade, platinum miners have been eager to advance known deposits on Zimbabwe’s Great Dyke, home to the world’s second-largest reserve of platinum. However, a strong nationa…
Northern Orion dilutes self for Alumbrera purchase
Northern Orion Explorations (NNO-T) is cranking up the printing press to fund its partial acquisition of the Bajo de la Alumbrera gold-copper mine in Argentina.The Vancouver-based junior recently team…
Busy week for base metals
The base metal miners took the spotlight away from the golds during the report period ended April 15.BHP Billiton rose 20 to US$11.56 as it launched a 10-year, US$850-million global bond, part of whi…
US golds take hit as price falls
A steep dip in the price of gold pushed U.S. gold producers lower over the April 2-8 report period. The yellow metal was fixed at US$324.10 per oz. on the morning of April 9, for a loss of $6.15 on th…
Ashton and Soquem size up Renard
Having demonstrated the commercial potential of the Renard group of kimberlitic bodies in north-central Quebec by recovering large diamonds at encouraging grades, Ashton Mining of Canada (ACA-T) and p…
Mitsui buys into CVRD
The biggest global mining story of the report period was the complex deal involving Brazilian iron ore giant Cia Vale do Rio Doce’s (CVRD) and Japan’s no. 2 trading house, Mitsui.Mitsui winds up spend…
Wheaton hungry for Alumbrera stake (March 31, 2003)
Having just acquired Rio Tinto’s (RTP-N) quarter-stake in the Bajo de la Alumbrera gold-copper mine in Argentina, Wheaton River Minerals (WRM-T) is about to acquire another quarter-interest in the ope…
Miners passed by in broad advance
The five trading days March 19-25 saw a modest advance by the U.S. stock markets, but gold and base metal equities were left out. Both major indices rose about 1%; the Dow Jones Industrial Average add…
Higher gold price adds pizzazz to PDAC convention
Consolidation, sustainability, and the allure of the mysterious East: the 71st annual convention of the Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada (PDAC) did not want for themes.It seems gold is n…
Barrick’s Davidson honoured for long, long career
In the late 1970s, Alex Davidson, then a student at McGill University, was attending the annual PDAC convention in Toronto when he stuck his head inside the Canadian room at the Royal York Hotel to ca…