Billionaire promoter and resource developer, Robert Friedland to change name of Ivanplats (IVP:TSX) back to his favorite resource company name, Ivanhoe Mines.  The name change will take effect September 3, 2013 and will trade on the TSX under the symbol “IVN”. “The original Ivanhoe Mines and its predecessor company, Indochina Goldfields, earned international recognition and… Continue Reading

Last week I bought some Ivanplats at $1.56 thinking it was too beaten up for the calibre of people and projects it has. Summer months are also historically the best times to pick up junior mining shares. I also just learned that IVP Chairman Robert Friedland (who owns some 135 million IVP shares) will be… Continue Reading

After successfully acquiring the Masbate Mine as part of their buyout of CGA Mining, it appears Clive Johnson and his team may be looking for more assets to buy.  This morning B2Gold (BTO:TSX) announced a US$225 million offering of senior subordinated convertible notes due in 2018.  The company currently has $95 million cash with an additional $100… Continue Reading

Pretium Resources (PVG:TSX) released more stellar high-grade results from its Brucejack project  located 65km north of Stewart, BC.  The results come from the resource zone known as the Valley of the Kings which hosts the company’s world-class 6.6 million ounces of gold at an average grade of 13.6g/t gold.  The Company is currently performing an… Continue Reading

Nolan Watson’s Sandstorm Gold (SSL:TSX), the junior precious metals streaming company (they make upfront payments for future gold production which they pay a fixed per ounce amount on, discounted to the spot price of the metal) announced today that it has entered into an agreement to purchase Premier Royalty (NSR:TSX) for 0.145 shares of Sandstorm.  The… Continue Reading

Pacific Rubiales (PRE:TSX) the Colombian oil producer, headed by Co-Chairman Serafino Iacono, announced its second quarter results which were somewhat mixed.  PRE saw its net earnings diminish from $224 million ($0.76 per share) in Q2/2012 to $58 million ($0.18 per share) in Q2/2013.  The reason for the reduced earnings was foreign exchange losses as well… Continue Reading

Canacol Energy (CNE:TSX) provided production results from its wells in Colombia and Ecuador.  CNE’s total corporate production in July averaged 10,120 boepd, of which 7,027 bopd was crude oil with another 3,093 boepd of gas.  Month over month growth in total corporate production was 17.5% (8,616 boepd in May and June) and 22% (5,794 bopd)… Continue Reading

Platino Energy Corp (PZE:TSXV) to sell its 50% WI in the Morpho Block in the Middle Magdalena Valley Basin in Colombia to Parex Resources (PXT:TSX).  As part of the deal, Parex will give PZE a 4% NPI royalty on the block.  This makes sense for PZE because they need to allocate capital efficiently, like everyone… Continue Reading

Many analysts are claiming that new platinum ETF and trust products such as Sprott’s physical products have begun to wreak havoc on an already beat up and battered South African platinum industry.  Just as the gold ETFs did in the gold run over the last decade, these new platinum products could rip billions of investment… Continue Reading

The all-star tech incubator, Difference Capital (see Tommy’s article), announced the closing of a $45-million financing which brings the total funds raised in the previous two financings to $101-million and a total of $185-million since May 2012.  You don’t see many junior miners able to raise that kind of money, especially in this market.  So,… Continue Reading

Geologix Explorations (GIX:TSX) released revised cash cost estimates for its Tepal Cu-Au project in Michoacan, Mexico in accordance with WGC Standards (total cash cost = mining costs + on-site G&A + treatment/refining charges + royalties + transportation + by-product credits). Due to the large Cu component, GIXs total cash costs are estimated at US$238/oz Au which leaves… Continue Reading

Bloomberg interviewed Lucara Diamond Corp. CEO William Lamb in Vancouver last week. Mr. Lamb communicated a desire to diversify Lucara’s asset base: “We’re still only a company of one asset. To de-risk you want at least two assets, two producing entities.” He also put a bright spin on falling diamonds prices: “Some companies might put… Continue Reading

Exploration Insights editor and economic geologist Brent Cook spoke to Mineweb’s Kip Keen about the harsh reality for today’s junior mining investors. “I think we’re in for a long, slow stretch where mines go bust, companies go bust and the sector consolidates,” Cook commented. Read the full article over at Mineweb. Here are a few excerpts:… Continue Reading

Well-known Toronto-based mining and energy promoter Stan Bharti of Forbes and Manhattan has opened up to Mineweb’s Kip Keen. Here’s a link to the article. Excerpts include: “At Forbes & Manhattan we always tell people, find good assets in emerging markets so you don’t overpay for them. I mean any fool can go and pay… Continue Reading

Yesterday I had another opportunity to hear Frank Giustra speak — this time at BCBusiness Magazine’s Top 100 event at Hotel Vancouver. In front of a crowd of 1,200, he was interviewed on stage by BCBusiness chairman Peter Legge. Frank Giustra became a millionaire in his early 20s financing small mining and energy companies. As Chairman… Continue Reading