Japan trading houses target assets to meet catalyst demand

Japan's trading houses are targeting deals to secure platinum and palladium supplies to meet expected shortages later this decade, when tighter rules on auto pollutants and higher car sales boost demand for the metals used in autocatalysts....

JFE boosting coal purchases from sources other than BHP

FE Steel Corp, the world's fifth-biggest steelmaker, said it was boosting purchases of coking coal from sources besides BHP, as prolonged industrial disputes and heavy rain constrain shipments from its Queensland coal mines. BHP this month...

Galaxy to buy Canada's Lithium One for C$109m

Galaxy Resources said on Friday it will take over Canada's Lithium One in a friendly, C$109-million ($109.10-million) deal that will enable the Australian miner to expand its global resources and become a top player in the lithium. Lithium One...

Lithium Americas shares rise after positive preliminary study

Toronto-listed Lithium Americas Corp’s (LAC’s) Cauchari project in Argentina could produce 40 000 t/y of lithium carbonate and would cost around $400-million to build, the company said on Monday. Announcing a preliminary economic assessment...

Baffinland Iron seeks partner for Nunavut project

TSX-listed Baffinland Iron Mines is hoping to secure a strategic partner for its $4,1-billion Mary River iron ore project within the next two to three months, chairperson and acting CEO Richard McCloskey said on Tuesday. Baffinland is looking to...

Lithium Americas targets 2014 production

Lithium explorer, Lithium Americas Corp (LAC) planned to start producing at its Cauchari-Olaroz project in Argentina in 2014, CEO Waldo Perez said on Friday. “The exact timing depends on the currently ongoing tests and we will work hard to...

Another lithium hopeful lists in Toronto

The TSX this week welcomed its 23rd lithium listing with the initial public offering of Lithium Americas Corp (LAC). The Argentina-focused company has Japan’s Mitsubishi Corp and Canadian automotive component-maker Magna International as...

Gold mostly unchanged, currency moves eyed

Gold prices were mostly flat around $1 150/oz on Tuesday after touching a five-week high in the previous session, as traders continued to watch the currency market for direction. The price of the precious metal touched a five-week high of $1...

Caledonia continues ramp up at Zimbabwe gold mine

Canada-based Caledonia Mining produced 1 822 oz of gold in July, from its Blanket mine, in Zimbabwe, and continues to see improvements in output levels, the firm said on Tuesday. Caledonia restarted the operations at Blanket in April, after being...

Uranium One sees price 'softness' in short term, return to strength by 2011

The spot price for uranium will likely remain at current low levels in the short term, but market conditions can be expected to improve steadily over the next 18 months, Uranium One president and CEO Jean Nortier suggested on Monday. He added, as...

Global gold demand slumps as prices soar to record

Record gold prices have scared buyers in many parts of the world and left them to watch helplessly the blistering rally that shows no signs of abating.

Gold inches up on oil, but muted ahead of data

Gold inched higher on Tuesday as firm energy prices encouraged buying, but the market moved in a tight band ahead of the release of US economic data that may offer new direction to precious metals.