Frik Els, Author at MINING.COM

Phew. Codelco wriggles out of 15-year deal inked at $1.50 a pound

Vast new copper supplies depressing prices? Don’t worry, it’s never going to happen

A senior trader in the red metal says “the miners are all lying” about the chances of their projects actually coming on stream.

Frik Els | April 24, 2012 | 11:28 pm

The BHP show obscures Australian mining's deeper problems

Vote of no confidence: Rio pulls out of $9 billion coal port expansion

"Global economic markets have shifted to a period of significant uncertainty and we continue to see both a sustained upward pressure on costs and long timeframes for regulatory approvals."

Frik Els | April 24, 2012 | 9:48 pm

Quebec’s booming iron mines

When planning an expansion at the largest open pit mine in Quebec, thinking big is important.

Frik Els | April 24, 2012 | 9:41 pm

New IMF figures show at current rate central banks will buy almost 700 tonnes of gold this year

11 countries bought just under 58 tonnes of gold in March. That compares to combined purchases of 439.7 tonnes by the world's central banks last year. That already was an almost fifty year high.

Frik Els | April 24, 2012 | 7:33 pm

Investors, directors flee Baja after Boleo costs rocket. Stock tanks 37%

Baja Mining dropped 37% on Monday on more than 15 times usual trading volumes, after announcing its Boleo copper-cobalt-zinc project in Mexico will now cost 21.5% more and that half its board has resigned.

Frik Els | April 23, 2012 | 10:22 pm

Hiring heavy hitter, takeover speculation fail to boost Guyana Goldfields

Nothing the company has done so far to assuage investors about its Aurora gold project has been successful and after dropping 5.5% on Monday it is now down over 60% since the start of the year.

Frik Els | April 23, 2012 | 10:05 pm

$30 billion Olympic Dam now even bigger

World number one miner BHP Billiton on Monday bought five additional exploration plots near its giant Olympic Dam mine and expansion project, destined to become the world's largest open pit.

Frik Els | April 23, 2012 | 9:57 pm

Human Rights Watch: Think twice about investing in Zambia copper mine IPO

China's state-owned CNMC's Hong Kong IPO could raise as much as $500 million.

Frik Els | April 23, 2012 | 7:41 pm

Bill Gross: 'I would still buy gold here'

To all gold bears: This guy has placed a $133 billion bet QE3 is going to happen

While the ranks of gold doomsayers have been growing over fading hopes for QE3, investors outside of the bullion market seem to be pricing in another round of easing.

Frik Els | April 20, 2012 | 11:05 pm

Cameco investors half a billion richer by lunchtime

After steady gains throughout the morning Cameco Corp. was trading up 6% by lunchtime on Friday, after reports yesterday that its Kazakh join venture is planning to up output by a third. Gains for the year now top 20%.

Frik Els | April 20, 2012 | 6:14 pm