Southern Copper pushes back start of Peru project

Southern Copper said on Friday its Tia Maria copper project would likely start production by the end of 2011, roughly six months later than previously predicted. Tia Maria, which is expected to cost nearly $1-billion, has come under criticism...

IMF may start gold sales in Q1 – VM

Unless another central bank steps in to buy what remains of the gold earmarked for sale by International Monetary Fund (IMF), the fund will likely begin on-market gold sales in the first quarter of 2010, suggests VM Group analyst Matthew Turner....

BHP, strikers in Chile agree to resume talks

Strikers at the Spence copper mine agreed to resume wage talks with owner BHP Billiton on Friday in an effort to end a 39-day work stoppage that threatened to spread to the miner's other operations in Chile. A leading Chilean mine union earlier...

Santa Rita commissioning running smoothly - Mirabela

The commissioning of the processing plant at TSX- and ASX-listed Mirabela Nickel's Santa Rita mine, in Brazil, is going to plan, with only "minor rectification issues" encountered, the firm reported on Friday. All mechanical and electrical...

Chile miners threaten action against BHP mines

A leading Chilean mine union on Friday threatened to halt output at mines owned by BHP Billiton in solidarity with strikers at its Spence deposit, fanning supply disruption fears in the top copper producer. Such a move by the mining federation,...

Silver likely to reach $20/oz in short term - GFMS

Silver prices would likely reach the $20/oz level in the short term, as surging investment drives prices higher, precious metals consultancy GFMS forecast on Friday. The silver price had averaged at $14,06/oz for the first ten months of 2009, a...

Gold demand up 10% in Q3 – WGC

Total identifiable demand for gold in the third quarter reached 800,3 t, or $24,7-billion in dollar terms, the World Gold Council (WGC) reported on Thursday. Demand was up 10% compared with the second quarter, but 34% lower than in the same...

Panama approves commercial production at Molejon mine

The government of Panama has given its authorisation for commercial production to begin at Petaquilla Minerals' Molejon mine, the company reported on Wednesday. Shares in the gold junior surged 118% on the news, to C$0,49 apiece by 16:16 in...