Lost in translation
January 25 - 31, 2012
THE patience for the underperforming Mirabela Nickel is evaporating and unless this company receives succour from the nickel price, or makes an extraordinary discovery, or has extraordinary success cutting costs, it seems like it could be a struggler for some time. All of which, it’s got to be said, stands somewhat in contrast to the marketing of the company over the years, and the supportive assessments of many analysts over the journey.
Chili backers like its prospects
December 15 - 21, 2011
LAST month South American copper hopeful Metminco was, as is often the case, forced to discount its shares to raise $A40 million from institutions. However, no such discounting was required this week by fellow South American copper hopeful, Hot Chili, with more than $A22 million worth of shares placed at slight premium. Why the difference?
Jambreiro value rests in permits
November 24 - 30, 2011
SPEED of execution may not be the first attribute that springs to mind in the case of Centaurus Metals, but that doesn’t take away from the fact it appears to have an extremely attractive, robust iron ore mining business plan slowly taking shape in Brazil.
Crusader aims for high number at Borborema
November 24 - 30, 2011
POTENTIAL Brazil gold miner Crusader Resources is aiming to add significant ounces to its rapidly emerging Borborema gold project in both the near and mid-term.
Tapajos a nice distraction for Venturex
November 17 - 23, 2011
WHILE the vast bulk of managing director Tim Sugden’s time is unsurprisingly devoted to the major copper and zinc project Venturex Resources is set to develop in the Pilbara region of Australia in the next couple of years, he maintains the company’s Serra Verde gold project in Brazil has “amazing potential”.
Search is on for El Cobrizo
November 10 - 16, 2011
MANY junior exploration companies are drawn to Colombia seeking El Dorado, the yellow metal, gold. However, El Cobrizo, the red metal, copper, is drawing increasing interest too. Exploring for Au-Cu porphyries is in vogue due to a copper price above $US3/lb, which makes it a valuable by-product for a gold project, and also due to the reality that it will become increasingly improbable for major gold producers to find large-scale pure gold deposits.
Smarts starts Azimuth on its way
November 10 - 16, 2011
HAS the somewhat serendipitous Azimuth Resources got a veritable tiger by the tail? That’s the question that could come to mind given the outstanding success achieved to date in Guyana by the ASX, and soon TSX-listed, gold explorer with the big ambitions.
Majors put toes in Colombian water
November 3 - 9, 2011
COLOMBIA’S gold sector is drawing interest from more of the world’s top gold mining companies, and now Iamgold has entered the fray by making strategic investments in not one but three gold exploration juniors with Colombian projects: Colombia Crest Gold, Bellhaven Copper & Gold and Tolima Gold.
Colombia's golden September
September 22 - 28, 2011
SEPTEMBER 20: COLOMBIA has burst into a golden third quarter with about 15 million ounces of gold added to its published resources bringing the total to 51Moz.
Bulkier Bomborema
September 15 - 21, 2011
CRUSADER Resources has taken a big step to becoming a significant mining company in Brazil with a pre-feasibility study that showed its Bomborema project having the potential to be a very strong cash generator.
Groomed to impress
September 8 - 14, 2011
SEPTEMBER 7: MIKE Bohm well remembers the critics at an earlier gig he had at Sally Malay Mining, the Western Australian nickel play that became the big success now known as Panoramic Resources. As such he has a ready-made riposte for those who query Herencia Resources and its Paguanta project and proposed Patricia mine in Chile.
Steyn sees hope for Santa Rita
August 11 - 17, 2011
FAIR to guess Mirabela’s key board members are probably getting toward their very last chance in the eyes of the market to prove their bona fides with respect to the long-struggling Santa Rita nickel project in Brazil. And on that basis the support from the well-credentialed Colin Steyn would appear, on the face of it, a reassuring endorsement.
Faith helps put Brazil on Atlas map
July 28 - August 3, 2011
AS THE old saying goes, ‘it’s not what you know, but who you know’ that really counts. That doesn’t completely explain the good news Centaurus Metals’ shareholders received this week, but it is undoubtedly a key element behind the deal that has seen Atlas Iron put $A18.7 million into Centaurus Metals in return for a 19.9% equity stake.
Persistence pays for Hot Chili
July 28 - August 3, 2011
HOT Chili’s persistent approach to establishing itself in South America is paying off, with the company this week catching the eye of the likes of expansionary Panoramic Resources and copper backer Taurus Funds Management.
Monti likes look of Guyana track
June 30 - July 6, 2011
JULY 4: THE Australian brokers want to know when it will have its first one million ounces and the Canadians are keen to hear about the so-called blue sky. The ASX and set-to-be TSX-listed Azimuth Resources is closing in on both fronts in the low profile but evidently prospective South American country of Guyana.
Santa Rita still a worthy cause, says RBC
June 30 - July 6, 2011
ROYAL Bank of Scotland is keeping the faith with Mirabela Nickel following a recent site visit to the Santa Rita operation in Brazil, saying ramp up issues are being steadily overcome. Will shareholders also be believers?
The boys in Brazil
June 16 - 22, 2011
A SIGNIFICANT gold project and a small iron ore mine that could potentially belt out the cash in the short term are the headline reasons why Brazil-focused Crusader Resources looks a promising emerging story in the junior sector. And there’s also a third element at play in the background that while less tangible is worth investors keeping in mind.
PanAust gets close to copper goliath
June 16 - 22, 2011
PANAUST has been one of the Australian resource sector’s success stories of the past decade and the Brisbane-based company’s new project in Chile has got the nod of approval from one supporter following a recent site visit.
Peru election spells trouble for Xstrata
June 9 - 15, 2011
OLLANTA Humala’s presidential victory in Peru is undoubtedly a negative for miners and explorers in the South American country, but for those with base metal projects elsewhere, especially those of the copper variety, a sense of schadenfreude may well be the prevailing sentiment.
Good news could knock twice
June 9 - 15, 2011
A FINANCING decision by Banco da Amazonia remains the key outstanding item for Beadell Resources at its 3.5 million tonne per annum Tucano gold project in Brazil, while a deal on the iron ore would likely prove an extremely welcome development for shareholders.
