Japan and Canada have formally agreed to launch negotiations on a bilateral free trade agreement (FTA) to eliminate import tariffs on most products and cooperate on developing energy resources, including natural gas and minerals, reports Platts.

Canadian company Roman Copper Corp won Monday's bid for Romania's largest copper mine, beating out three competitors including Australian miner OZ Minerals.

Nautilus Minerals Inc. shares were up almost 24% this morning (TSX:NUS), after the company released solid year end results with, narrowing its full-year loss in 2011 to US$34 million.

"This acquisition positions Forsys to be better able to realize the full potential of consolidating Namibplaas with its wholly-owned Valencia Uranium Project," said Marcel Hilmer, CEO and Director of Forsys.

Nick Holland of CEO Gold Fields said on Monday the company has plonked $63 million on a second gold-copper project in the Philippines. The globe's fourth-largest gold miner also announced it is suspending drilling in Mali, Africa's third largest gold producer following a military coup.

The Philippine Department of Environment and Natural Resources will finance the university education of geologists and mining professionals to counter the steady decline of these professions in the workforce, reports Inquirer News.

“The past years saw a steady decline in geologists and mining and metallurgical engineers in the MGB for two reasons—their recruitment by the private sector or their going abroad which offers bigger salaries, and a halt in DENR’s recruitments because of the rationalization program,” [Environment Secretary Ramon] Paje said.

GIW Industries, the leader in the design, manufacture and application of heavy-duty, centrifugal slurry pumps, announced that global talc producer Mondo Minerals has installed GIW's High Volume Froth (HVF) pump at its talc processing plant in Outokumpu, Finland. During the pump's first month of operations, the plant was able to stabilize the flotation process and eliminate a safety hazard.

Canadian-based gold producer Monument Mining Limited (TSX-V: MMY) informed it busted a gold stealing syndicate at the Selinsing Gold Mine in Malaysia.

In a brief and low profile announcement, BHP Billiton said last week that it was replacing its Aluminum President, Jon Dudas, giving no reason for his sudden departure, nor a timeframe for his replacement.