Mining News: Miners, like boats, rode tide in 2009 12/20/2009
But the fortunes of some mining companies foundered even as commodities prices marched steadily higher during the past 12 months
Although commodities prices have improved for the mining industry over the past year, 2009 has been the kind of year most of us hope not to repeat. The best analogy I can come up with is the one that...

Mining News: Optimism surges among Alaska miners 11/22/2009
As metals prices climb and world demand resumes upward trend, mineral industry prepares for period of robust activity in 2010
Metals markets continue to climb out of the basement as the world demand for metals resumes its upward trend. Fueled by this growing demand, numerous Alaska precious, base and rare metal projects repo...

Mining News: New junior targets production in 2010 11/22/2009
Harmony Gold JVs Lucky Shot property, plans to spend US$15 million to bring historical high-grade gold mine back into production
With its sights set on becoming one of North America's newest junior gold producers, Harmony Gold Corp. has entered into a joint venture agreement with Full Metal Minerals Ltd. on that company's high-...

Mining Explorers 2009: Kinross partners with dynamic juniors 11/01/2009
Owner of Alaska's largest gold mine invests in exploration ventures that seek new discoveries in the prospective Tintina Gold Belt
Kinross Gold Corp. – operator of the largest gold mine in the Tintina Gold Belt – has embarked on a treasure hunt in hopes of identifying another Fort Knox-like deposit in this gold-rich province. Th...

Mining Explorers 2009: Full Metal weathers financial storm 11/01/2009
Waiting for improved market conditions, junior prepares for smoother sailing in 2010
Full Metal Mineral Ltd., like many juniors, battened down the hatches in 2009 to ride out the financial storm that sank many explorers and caused others to climb aboard ships better suited to the turb...

Mining Explorers 2009: Gold fever heats up in Yukon 11/01/2009
Markets separate 'haves' from 'have-nots' in mining-friendly region
Recession, what recession? That could have been the cry of some gold exploration companies in Yukon Territory in 2009. Thanks to several very impressive gold discoveries in 2008 at a time of unpreced...

Mining News: Minerals gain momentum as season wanes 09/27/2009
Average rate of gold investment around the world nearly doubles in past eight years as demand for metals increases exponentially
Although Alaska's summer field season is quickly coming to an end, the mineral industry continues to gain momentum thanks to rapidly increasing metals prices, fueled in part by growing industrial dema...

Mining News: Alaska explorers hit potential pay dirt 08/30/2009
Miners report encouraging exploration results in their search for a range of commodities, from the expected to the unpronounceable
They say when it rains, it pours, and that is just what is happening with news from field programs all over Alaska. Results from summer 2009 programs are pouring in from the Brooks Range to Prince of...

Mining News: Miners explore SW Alaska properties 08/30/2009
Full Metal, Kinross acquire gold-silver property near Donlin Creek from Calista Corp.; strategic partners begin drilling prospects
Full Metal Minerals Ltd. and Kinross Gold Corp. struck a deal with Calista Corp., an Alaska Native regional corporation, to acquire 100 percent of mineral rights to the Russian and Horn Mountain compl...

Mining News: Explorer hunts for Bonanza mother lode 08/30/2009
Prospector who discovered White Gold may have found source of 6 million ounces of gold produced during the Klondike Gold Rush
DAWSON CITY, Yukon Territory – Modern-day prospector Shawn Ryan is hot on the trail of what he believes could be the monster lode source of the 6 million ounces of placer gold recovered from historic...

Mining News: Kinross partners with dynamic juniors 07/26/2009
Owner of Alaska's largest gold mine invests in exploration ventures that seek new discoveries in the prospective Tintina Gold Belt
Kinross Gold Corp. – operator of the largest gold mine in the Tintina Gold Belt – has embarked on a treasure hunt in hopes of identifying another Fort Knox-like deposit in this gold-rich province. Th...

Mining News: Explorer focuses on timing at 40 Mile 06/28/2009
Polymetallic discovery in 2008 did little to boost junior's profile in capital markets, despite especially favorable drill results
Despite stellar drill results from an aggressive 2008 program at the 40 Mile Project in eastern Alaska, Full Metals Minerals Corp. is slowing the pace of exploration on the 242,000-acre property this...

Mining News: Underworld gets back into Golden Saddle 05/31/2009
Junior with ties to Full Metal kicks off second season of drilling at its White Gold property near Dawson City with new discovery
Underworld Resources Inc. struck a much thicker band of gold-rich mineralization in early drilling this season, the company reported May 26. Initial assay results from the Vancouver BC-based junior's...

Mining News: Alaska mining industry sees quiet month 02/22/2009
Opportunities still exist in depressed economic climate, but government intervention can sometimes make things worse, not better
The Alaska mining industry was relatively quiet over the last month with most of the news coming from programs completed in 2008. In addition, some programs have already started in 2009 but details ar...

Mining News: Alaska mining project roundup 01/25/2009
Alaska saw robust mining activity in 2008 across the full spectrum of the industry, from small placer operations to major producers, and from exploration programs to advanced development projects. Her...

Mining News: 2008: A truly memorable year for mining 12/28/2008
Despite industry's tumultuous year, a decades-old truism that 'good projects get funded and good mines make money' offers comfort
As 2008 winds inexorably to a close, I found myself looking for words adequate to describe what will go down in history as one of the most memorable years in many a moon. Words like tumultuous, unpred...

Mining News: Alaska mining industry faces credit crunch 11/30/2008
High-quality exploration, development projects will likely survive despite worldwide shortage of venture capital, financing
Let me start this month's mining update by saying I am not a chartist nor do I believe economic cycles are controlled by cosmic forces known only to the mystics. That said, I do believe in cycles beca...

Mining News: Junior mining companies active in Alaska exploration 10/26/2008
Full Metal Minerals Ltd. has 11 exploration projects spanning Alaska. The company's two primary projects are the Lucky Shot high-grade gold property about 90 miles north of Anchorage, and the LWM zinc...

Mining News: When the dust settles... 10/26/2008
AMA director Borell predicts Alaska will become more attractive to mining companies and reflects on important events of 2008
Alaska's mining industry captured the attention, not only of Alaskans but also the country during the past year when a controversy over the proposed Pebble Project in Southwest Alaska bubbled to the s...

Mining News: Alaska mining industry faces credit crunch 10/26/2008
High-quality exploration, development projects will likely survive despite worldwide shortage of venture capital, financing
The national sucking sound of venture capital exiting the mining industry has now expanded to a worldwide sucking sound as virtually all of the world's economies fight the massive, unprecedented credi...

Mining News: Juniors struggle to survive financial storm 10/26/2008
Small miners adjust strategies as markets melt down; analysts predict half will fail, creating new opportunities
The financial markets haven't been kind to junior mining and exploration stocks lately. During the past six months, five of Alaska's junior explorers have lost more than three-quarters of their averag...

Mining News: Mantra Mining emerges as spin-out vehicle 09/28/2008
NovaGold swaps its non-core Alaska properties for 22 percent interest in junior; new Alaska player aims to advance Ambler
Mantra Mining Inc. became a major mineral property landholder in Alaska literally overnight when it agreed to purchase more than 485,000 acres of mining claims from NovaGold Resources Inc. and Rio Tin...

Mining News: Junior chases vein gold in western Yukon 08/31/2008
Miner with ties to Full Metal Minerals discovers gold during first drilling season at White Gold and Black Fox Gold properties
DAWSON CITY, Yukon - Atop a wooded peak in this land of mountains and deep valleys near the confluence of the White and Yukon rivers, a New Zealand-based miner is hard at work exploring for gold. Unde...

Mining News: Miners head into second half of 2008 08/31/2008
As commodities prices slide and costs increase, evidence mounts that industry's economic 'super-cycle' wasn't especially 'super'
Several drilling programs started in the last month and several others began reporting initial results from programs commenced earlier in the summer. Two of Alaska's operating mines reported strong op...

Mining News: Junior reopens historic gold mine 08/31/2008
A century after miners first discovered gold at Lucky Shot, Full Metal restores historic mine shaft and tunnels to high-grade ore
Full Metal Minerals Ltd. has taken the first step in transitioning from explorer to miner at its Lucky Shot high-grade gold property in the historic Willow Mining District about 145 kilometers, or 90...