Mining News: Junior finds REEs, niobium on gem claims 01/17/2010
True North Gems confirms significant mineralization at aquamarine property near the Ketza River gold mine south of Ross River
After focusing on its ruby-rich claims in Greenland for the past few years, True North Gems Inc. has returned to Yukon Territory to hunt for rare earth elements rather than gems. The junior has confir...

Mining News: Wanted: Mineral prospectors with skills 01/17/2010
Far North territories, B.C. governments use mining incentives to ease financial burden of grassroots exploration by individuals
Just as junior and major mining companies have important roles to play in the chain of developments that lead, hopefully, to discovery of substantial mineral deposits and subsequent commercial develop...

Mining News: Seasoned mine builder joins NovaGold 01/17/2010
Gil Leathley's five decades of experience is expected to be invaluable as the company continues to build world-class mines
NovaGold Resources Inc. tapped a wealth of mining experience recently when it appointed Gil Leathley as senior advisor to the junior's president and CEO, Rick Van Nieuwenhuyse. "Mr. Leathley is one of...

Mining News: Prospector looks beyond White Gold find 01/17/2010
Yukon's Shawn Ryan sees bright future for mining district; expects major to purchase Underworld property then grab Coffee deposit
The prospector who discovered the highly promising White Gold property near Dawson City, Yukon Territory says he believes the future is beyond bright for the region – it's blazing. Shawn Ryan, a self-...

Mining News: Junior jumps in with both feet at Ambler 01/17/2010
NovaGold agrees to buy Arctic VMS project for US$29 million; opts to focus on environmental studies, Northwest community in 2010
NovaGold Resources Inc. has cut a deal with Rio Tinto subsidiary Kennecott Exploration Co. to purchase 100 percent interest in the precious-metal-rich Ambler copper-zinc property in Northwest Alaska....

Mining News: Zazu orders Lik transportation study 01/17/2010
AIDEA agrees to evaluate expanding transportation system to accommodate mine development at lead-zinc-silver deposit near Red Dog
Zazu Metals Corp. has signed an agreement with the state-owned Alaska Industrial Development and Export Agency to complete due diligence for transportation infrastructure needed to support a mine at i...

Mining News: Geophysics reveal deep targets at Man 01/17/2010
Pure Nickel plans to drill targets in large conductive bodies located below two areas of its nickel-copper-PGE property in Alaska
During their first exploration season as joint venture partners at the Man nickel-copper-platinum group element project in Interior Alaska, Pure Nickel Inc. and Itochu Corp. said they discovered compe...

Mining News: Junior scores 'major' coup in Far North 01/17/2010
AngloGold Ashanti Holdings Plc joins Commander Resources Inc. quest for 'elephant' gold on district-scale Baffin Island property
Among juniors actively working to attract majors to invest in mineral exploration projects scattered across Canada's Far North, one Vancouver, B.C.-based company leaped to the front of the pack recent...

Mining News: Alaska miners face hopeful New Year 01/17/2010
State's fairly independent economic cycle and growing global demand for minerals will spawn many opportunities for industry
In my simple world of cause and effect, when I see things happen I always leap to the conclusion that there will be a related subsequent development. When I see the United States borrow untold billio...

Mining News: New year, decade brings opportunities 01/17/2010
Alaska mining industry will continue to supply world's demands for mineral resources, despite ups and downs in global markets
As we plunge headlong into a new year and a new decade, the broad economic indicators for the mining industry suggest continued strong prices for most commodities in 2010 followed by slightly lower av...

Mining News: Terrane seeks partner to build mine 01/17/2010
Terrane Metals Corp. has decided to move ahead with construction of a C$900 million open-pit copper-gold mine at the Mt. Milligan Project in north-central British Columbia. Robert Pease, Terrane's pr...

Mining News: Movie gives industry a big black eye 01/17/2010
James Cameron's 'Avatar' exploits outdated stereotype; gifted earth scientists and engineers lead most successful mining companies
I must join what appears to be a growing parade of voices criticizing some aspect of the mega-blockbuster sci-fi movie, Avatar, and add my two cents. Critics have complained about the movie's story l...

Mining News: Usibelli thrives on coal exports in 2009 01/17/2010
Miner anticipates continued strength in overseas sales in 2010; groups file suit to curb alleged 'Clean Water Act' violations
Increased interest in Alaska coal from buyers in Asia and Chile boosted exports from the Usibelli Coal Mine to record levels in 2009. According to Steve Denton, vice president for business developmen...

Mining News: Panel seeks staking ban for most of Peel 12/20/2009
Mining group worries recommendations will lock up valuable resources; start anti-mining trend in Yukon's other mineral-rich areas
A review panel has recommended that most of the Peel River watershed region in northeast Yukon Territory be withdrawn from industrial use, including mineral resource development. In long-awaited reco...

Mining News: Arsenic spill dusts worker at Giant site 12/20/2009
Agency followed safety procedures; studies technology that could permanently lock up hazardous material in underground workings
An accidental discharge of deadly arsenic trioxide at the old Giant gold mine in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories this fall has brought into focus the potential impact of an ongoing project to recla...

Mining News: Diamond mines look north for new workers 12/20/2009
Operators of Diavik and Snap Lake seek to fill employee ranks with more locals by offering training, eliminating travel perks
Two diamond mines in Northwest Territories are vowing to recruit new workers locally rather than continue a longstanding practice of seeking candidates in southern Canada. Diavik Diamond Mines Inc., o...

Mining News: Junior lauded for innovative reclamation 12/20/2009
Western Copper cleans up abandoned workings on Casino property, while targeting zero environmental impact from current activities
Western Copper Corp. won the coveted Robert E. Leckie Award for 2009 for outstanding reclamation of old abandoned workings on the Casino Property in west-central Yukon Territory. But the junior explo...

Mining News: Pebble bobs to, fro on waves of opinion 12/20/2009
Fisheries board rejects plan to establish Bristol Bay fish refuge; Native corporations differ sharply on mining project's impact
The Pebble Partnership, a 50-50 joint venture between Northern Dynasty Minerals Ltd. and Anglo American plc, can chalk up one win and one potential loss toward the development of a mine at its copper-...

Mining News: Interior property shows huge potential 12/20/2009
Junior cuts 400 meters of gold mineralization during 2009 exploration program aimed at seeking prospects beyond Whistler zone
Kiska Metals Corp. cut long intercepts of gold-rich mineralization in two of the five holes that it drilled during the newly formed company's fall 2009 exploration program. These intercepts indicate t...

Mining News: Explorer targets winter drilling at Livengood 12/20/2009
While International Tower Hill contemplates building a mine capable of producing more than 400,000 ounces of gold per year at Livengood, the exploration saga continues at the rapidly growing project....

Mining News: Livengood explorer could build mine 12/20/2009
Junior seems reluctant to turn over multimillion-ounce Alaska gold asset to major; vows to assemble operations team in early 2010
International Tower Hill Mines Ltd.'s rapidly expanding Livengood gold project could prove to be the catalyst that transitions the Vancouver B.C.-based junior from explorer to producer. "The Livengoo...

Mining News: Yukon mining stays strong in recession 12/20/2009
Territory and First Nations leaders: Mining plays important role in Yukon; vigilance needed to remain globally competitive
WHITEHORSE – Since the Klondike Gold Rush when tens of thousands of fortune-seekers stampeded to this northern land looking for gold, the mining industry has been the backbone of Yukon Territory's eco...

Mining News: Junior plans drilling program at Niblack 12/20/2009
Heatherdale intends to spend US$15 million on aggressive exploration to earn majority interest in precious metal-rich VMS project
Heatherdale Resources Ltd., the Hunter Dickinson subsidiary that joined forces with CBR Gold Corp. on the Niblack project, plans an aggressive exploration campaign at the copper-gold-silver-zinc proje...

Mining News: We've stepped through the looking glass 12/20/2009
Climate change debate accelerates society's departure from using deductive reasoning, logic; mushrooming litigation fuels trend
As I age up, the world does appear to be, as Alice would say, curiouser and curiouser. I have long been bemused by the obvious observation that logic and reason have little to do with how humanity co...

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...