VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwire - Feb. 22, 2012) - (All amounts in US dollars unless otherwise stated and all production figures are approximate)

Brazil, now the envy of debt-ridden nations, is scrambling to strengthen its control over domestic food production. This move became a matter of national security as the country saw 2008’s increased fertilizer prices threaten its agricultural sector.

On Tuesday, the Dow Jones Industrial Average briefly climbed above 13,000, its highest level since May 2008. Many rejoiced at the psychological milestone as the index has nearly doubled from March 2009 lows.

Lack of investment and long-term planning in the Peruvian electrical system are threatening to wreck billionaire mining projects, considered key to the economic growth of the country, reports today one of the major local newspaper.

It seems that the mainstream investment community only takes a break from ignoring gold to berate it: one of gold’s most outspoken critics, uber-investor Warren Buffett, did so recently in his latest shareholder letter. The indictments were familiar; gold is an inanimate object “incapable of producing anything,” so any investor holding it instead of stocks is acting out of irrational fear.

Canadian miner NovaGold Resources Inc. (TSX:NG) said today that it has begun the process of trying to sell its 50% stake in the Galore Creek copper-gold project in British Columbia, in order to fully focus on its flagship Donlin gold project in Alaska, in a stament announcing its poor Q4 results.

Stocks struggle Wednesday morning as risk trades were daunted by dreary economic activity figures on both sides of the globe and the Greek post-deal aftermath.

An emerald cut diamond valued between $900,000 and $1 million is set to be auctioned in Vancouver on Sunday at the Sutton Place Hotel.

The $2.5 billion deal saw European Goldfields add 6.4% in afternoon trade on Tuesday while Eldorado gained 6% to bring their combined market value to $10 billion.