Australia gets reality check on commodities: Clyde Russell

There is a creeping realisation inside Australia that the nation's commodities boom is becoming harder work, with project costs blowing out and questions over whether there will be enough demand from Asia. Australia's economic success of the past...

BHP moves to ease worries over mega project spend

Miner BHP Billiton moved to reassure investors fretting over its spending on "mega projects", promising discipline and potential noncore asset sales in one of the sector's clearest efforts to address market worries over the cost of growth. BHP,...

Cortona secures A$42m for Dargues Reef

Gold developer Cortona Resources has secured a A$42-million financing package from Deutsche Bank, putting the company on track to develop its flagship Dargues Reef gold project, in New South Wales. The financing package remained subject to a...

Wall St commodity talent wars: Return of the merchants

When it comes to hiring top commodity traders, what goes around comes around. Wall Street, after years of poaching the best and brightest from specialized commodity firms, is losing the war to keep the essential traders who know how to arbitrage...

Yukon-Nevada inks $20m gold forward-sales deal with Deutsche Bank

Yukon-Nevada Gold Corp on Wednesday said it agreed to sell future gold production forward to Deutsche Bank to fund operations and expansion at its Jerritt Canyon mine in Nevada. Under the agreement, Toronto- and Frankfurt-listed Yukon-Nevada is...

Shabangu laments ‘unnecessary’ mine nationalisation ‘frenzy’

The South African and international business community is caught up an “unnecessary frenzy” over the mine nationalisation debate, Mineral Resources Minister Susan Shabangu argued in an address to business people in the UK on Wednesday....

Southern Africa’s coking coal could rival Australia’s – CoAL

Southern Africa’s treasure chest of scarce coking coal could rival that of Australia’s rich endowment.

Yukon-Nevada rethinks Ketza project IPO

Yukon-Nevada Gold, which owns projects in northern Nevada and Canada's Yukon, aims to produce at a rate of 150 000 oz/y from November, CEO Robert Baldock said on Wednesday. The TSX-listed company is well advanced in its programme to refurbish and...

Focus now owns 62.12% of Crescent

Gold miner Focus Minerals increased its stake in takeover target Crescent Gold to 62.12%, after Deutsche Bank divested of its remaining holdings in Crescent. Focus has now extended its takeover offer for Crescent until the close of business on...

Cortona secures A$37m for Dargues Reef development

Gold junior Cortona Resources has mandated Deutsche Bank to provide a financing package of A$37-million for the development of its Dargues Reef gold project, in New South Wales. Cortona was currently awaiting approval for the development of the...

Crescent directors accept Focus offer

The directors of ASX- and TSX-listed Crescent Gold on Tuesday gave further backing for a takeover by Focus Minerals after providing the Australian miner with acceptances in respect of their own shares. Crescent said in a statement that the Focus...

Gold miners Focus and Crescent announce merger plan

Gold miners Focus Minerals and Crescent Gold have agreed to a merger in an effort to create one of Australia’s top gold producers with an average production of 230 000 oz/y from 2012, the ASX-listed companies announced on Monday. The merger...