INSIDER TRADING — U.S. insiders bullish on their stocks

Trading reports from the United States show insiders bought more than they sold during these past few months of depressed metals prices.

The trend shows the insiders are picking up shares while the prices are low. For example, Homestake Mining (HM-N) Chairman Jack Thompson purchased 3,000 shares at US$11.63 per share to hold 31,411 shares. The purchase came nearly two months before Homestake announced its proposed merger with Australia’s Plutonic Resources.

During September, Stuart Peeler, a director of Homestake, sold 2,800 shares at US$13.88 each to hold 10,000 shares indirectly.

Other trades reported to the U.S. Securities Exchange Commission during the last several months include:

* Cyprus Amax Minerals (CYM-N) — Thomas Dannemiller, vice president, exercised an option for 7,500 shares between US25cents and US$2.50 per share between Nov. 11 and Nov. 15. He directly holds 53,750 shares.

* Alta Gold (ALTA-Q) — In early December, Margo Bergeson, director of investor relations, purchased 20,150 shares at US$1.38 per share to hold 25,150 shares. Director Ralph Gilges purchased 3,900 shares at US$2.50 each during late October to hold 39,133 shares. Vice President John Bielun purchased 10,000 shares at US$2 in August to hold 35,000 shares.

* Amax Gold (AU-N) — Robert Blakestad, vice president, bought 500 shares at US$5.44 per share during October to hold 8,000 shares.

* Nord Pacific (NPF-T) — Pierce Carson, chairman, bought 4,000 shares at US$4.50 in early August to hold 172,000 shares.

* Royal Gold (rgld-q) — President Peter Babin and Chairman Stanley Dempsey exercised options for 10,000 and 17,400 shares at a price of 13cents on Sept. 25, to hold 172,950 and 380,697 shares, respectively. Director Oden Howell purchased 15,000 shares on Sept. 30 at US$8 each. He now holds 568,680 shares.

* Stillwater Mining (SWC-X) — Director John Phelps Ingersoll purchased 1,000 shares at US$21.88 each during August.

* Hecla Mining (HL-N) — Vice President John Stiwell purchased 500 shares at US$5.31 per share in early August to hold 2,105 shares. Another vice president, William Booth, purchased 500 shares at US$4.94 in early November to hold 1,070 shares.

* La Teko Resources (LAORF-Q) — Chairman Gerald Carlson bought 5,000 shares at US98cents in October, as well as another 2,000 for between between US63cents and US68cents per share in November. He now holds 18,000 shares.

* Hanover Gold (HVGO-Q) — Director Neal Degerstrom purchased 300,000 shares at US$1.25 each in late November. He now holds 1.4 million shares. Director Robinson Bosworth purchased 6,000 shares between US39cents and US42cents each to hold 250,980 shares.

* Earth Sciences (ESCI-Q) — Director Michael Durham purchased 15,000 shares at US$1.91 in late October to hold 29,706 shares.

The following is a roundup of selected insider trades made on Canadian exchanges during the second half of 1997:

* BYG Natural Resources (BYG-T) — A.G. Thompson, director, sold 50,000 shares at 90cents to $1.05, through his wife, to hold 200,000 shares indirectly, 872,000 shares directly, 1,561,000 shares indirectly through AGT Financial and 113,000 shares indirectly through an RRSP.

* Canarc Resource (CCM-T) — S.L. Lockwood, officer, was granted 1.3 million options, 1 million of which were then exercised at 65cents and sold privately for 65cents.

* Corona Gold (CRF-T) — P.D. Walker, director, sold 15,800 shares at $5.70 to $6 through Camsell Corp. to hold 97,200 shares.

* Dayton Mining (day-t) — R.J. MacDonald, director, sold 20,000 shares at $5.10 and bought 10,000 shares at $4.30 to hold 32,000 shares.

* Globex Mining Enterprises (GMX-T) — Jack Stoch, director, sold 5,000 shares at $5 and sold 11,200 shares at $4.23 to $4.95 to hold an undisclosed number of shares.

* Golden Star Resources (GSC-T) — E.C. Mercier, director, bought 2,000 shares at $7.15 to hold 3,000 shares.

* Gowest Amalgamated Resources (GWA-A) — J.A. Pollock, director, bought 40,000 shares at 25cents through an RRSP to hold 50,000 shares, as well as 201,500 shares through Jonpol Investments.

* LionOre Mining International (LIM-T) — A.G. Thompson, director, sold 100,000 at $3.75 through 175962 Canada to hold 2.1 million shares indirectly.

* Lyndex Explorations (LYDX-C) — David Bell, director, sold 157,300 shares at 40cents to 47cents to hold 622,700 shares.

* Manson Creek (MCK-T) — Glen Harper, director, bought 58,500 shares at 17cents to 20cents to hold 886,730 shares directly, and bought 100,000 shares at 17cents to 20cents through D. Harper’s RRSP to hold 100,000 shares.

* Nord Pacific (NPF-T) — Pierce Carson, director, bought 4,000 shares at US$4.50 to hold 172,000 shares.

* Northern Crown (NCW-T) — Robert Swenarchuk, director, sold 4,700 shares at 80cents to hold 51,700 shares directly and sold 10,500 shares at 80cents to hold 3,000 shares indirectly.

* Ontex Resources (ONT-A) — Robert Montemarano, director, sold 100,000 shares at 30cents to 50cents to hold 318,000 shares.

* Pan American Silver (PAA-T) — M.J. Maloney, director, sold 12,000 shares at US$6.89 to $7.14 to hold 150,700 shares.

* Pegasus Gold (PGU-T) — Peter Kutney, director, bought 1,000 shares at $14.15 to hold 2,000 shares.

* Pentland Firth Ventures (PFO-T) — C.D.A. Comba, director, bought 18,400 shares at 95cents to $1 to hold 159,900 shares directly and 1,500 indirectly.

* Pure Gold Resources (PUG-T) — Donald Sheldon, director, exercised 100,000 options at 16cents and sold 53,500 shares at 28cents to 29cents to hold 815,000 shares and 2,480,898 options.

* Richmont Mines (RIC-T) — Jean-Yves Laliberte, officer, sold 10,000 shares at $4.85 to $5 to hold 1,000 shares.

* Royal Oak Mines (RYO-T) — G.W. Oughtred, director, bought 10,000 shares at $2.60 through Privatbanken Holdings to hold 590,000 shares.

* Rux Resources (RUXR-C) — Ophir Investment sold 130,000 shares at 50cents to 55cents to hold 2,167,320 shares.

* Sahelian Goldfields (SHGI-C) — Bay Merchant Group exercised 250,000 rights at 50cents and bought 20,000 shares at 40cents to hold 1.02 million shares.

* San Andreas Resources (SAO-T) — A.B. Millar, was granted 200,000 options at 32cents, sold 50,000 shares at 50cents and bought 109,500 shares at 45cents to 49cents to hold 3 million shares indirectly.

* St. Andrew Goldfields (SAS-T) — Herbert Abramson, director, bought 58,900 shares at $2.05-2.10 to hold 625,300 shares and bought 48,500 shares at $1.95-2.15 through Technifund to hold 2 million shares.

* Sutton Resources (STT-V) — Barbara Sinclair, holder of more than 10%, sold 41,000 shares at US$8.60-9.93 to hold 580,286 shares directly and 2.2 million shares indirectly; James Sinclair, holder of more than 10%, sold 61,900 shares at US$8.60-9.93 and bought and sold 65,000 shares privately to hold 3 million shares indirectly and 100 shares directly.

* Taseko Mines (TKO-V) — R.A. Dickinson, director, sold 70,000 shares at US$4.50-4.75 through United Mineral Services to hold 4,667 shares and 150,000 special warrants.

* TVI Pacific (TVI-T) — FMR Corp. sold 662,600 shares at US17cents to US24cents to hold 11.1 million shares.

* Viceroy Resource (VOY-T) — David Calabrigo, officer, sold 20,000 shares at $3.50-3.65 to hold 4,500 shares.

* World Wide Minerals (WWS-T) –N.P. Bengough, director of an affiliated company, bought 50,000 shares at 42cents to hold 100,000 shares; Wallace Mays, officer, bought 1.2 million shares at 82cents through WM Mining to hold 1.2 million shares.