DON’T check your potash stocks today… “In a stunning move expected to transform the landscape of the world’s fertilizer industry, Russia’s OAO Uralkali is dismantling one of the world’s largest potash marketing groups by striking out on its own.” Read: Russia pulls out of cartel, potash prices expected to plunge With end to potash cartel,… 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

It’s a different reality for the Lundin’s, an extremely successful, and well financed oil and mining exploration and development group. Chairman Lukas Lundin tells Mineweb’s Kip Keen his copper companies intend to keep their exploration budgets intact, and expresses optimism for continued, high commodities prices. You should read the full article over at Mineweb. Here are a few excerpts:… Continue Reading

To make great content, have incredible experiences, Ryan Holiday argues. VICE’s Portrait of a Russian Oligarch is an example. After the collapse of Communism in Russia, as state assets were divvied up and privatized, a few individuals stepped in to take the reins of this entrepreneurial experiment. Rewarded with massive fortunes and fame, they came… 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

Frank Giustra-backed Albanian oil explorer Petromanas Energy (TSXV:PMI) was the subject of a Reuters article published last Thursday. Read: Much promise, little joy in Albania’s long search for oil (Reuters) “An oil explorer is like a hunter… He knows that in this region there are wild animals, but he doesn’t kill one every time.” Related: Petromanas amends farm out… Continue Reading

Exploration Insights is a web-based subscription service that serves an international family of investors and speculators (approximately 40% US and 40% Canadian, with the remainder based in ~20 countries scattered across the globe). In addition to communications with our clientele, my research necessitates that I routinely email, Skype, and phone Canada, Serbia, Turkey, Indonesia, Australia,… Continue Reading

There’s a lot going on in the world right now, more than usual. In all seriousness, today’s equity market losses were modest relative to what could go wrong in the various simmering global hot spots. The NSA story is nothing short of HUGE, Turkey is indicative of a much larger feeling of uneasiness coursing throughout the… Continue Reading

2013 has been a challenging year for gold investors and the current macroeconomic environment appears to be highly unfavorable for the yellow metal – gold currently faces its most challenging fundamental backdrop in at least two decades: US 10-year real rates have risen 77 basis points in the last two months US 10-year real rates… Continue Reading

To follow the smart money in junior gold stocks is to subscribe to Brent Cook and Quinton Hennigh’s Exploration Insights newsletter. Ten days ago we caught up with Brent and today we’ve got Quinton on the line to tell us about his latest opportunities. Jump to the audio here -> This afternoon’s conversation with Quinton… Continue Reading

We caught up with Bob Moriarty, editor of 321GOLD.com this morning on his way to visit the Sierra Mojada silver/zinc project in Mexico (Silver Bull Resources, Inc.). A former American Marine fighter pilot who flew over 800 combat missions, Moriarty is also a veteran precious metals analyst, visiting dozens of mineral projects around the world each… Continue Reading

“One drill hole changes the game. It’s very hard to decide who gets to make it and who doesn’t. It’s a big gate, and yet very few make it through. But you have to let them try.” — Lukas Lundin “Did you know you were getting the better end of that deal with Kinross?” I… Continue Reading

From pristine beaches to palaces, entire islands and its London embassy, a nation in crisis is selling its assets, writes Harriet Alexander. “We are like a bankrupt housewife forced to sell the silver, to save the family,” he said. “Greece has no choice.” Some 70,000 lots are for sale, ranging from pristine stretches of coast… Continue Reading

A World of Mining Special – Part 1 of 2 This is a story about Eira Thomas, dubbed the “Queen of Diamonds” for her role leading the geologists who discovered the kimberlite pipes that became the Diavik diamond mine. Diavik, Canada’s second diamond mine, produced 1.9 million carats of the sparkling stones in the fourth quarter… Continue Reading

I don’t think that the market yet fully understands the consequences of what just took place over the weekend. Read: Saving Cyprus Means Nobody Safe as Europe Breaks More Taboos | Bloomberg You’re starting to see a [potentially massive] flight of Russian capital out of the EU. This is only the beginning. The velocity of money will pick up as… Continue Reading