Plans to sell a stake in 90%-owned Alrosa, the largest diamond supplier in the world, would make up a huge chunk of the $9.3 billion Russia hopes to generate from asset sales this year.

CBC reports that Canadian Zinc (TSE:CZN) has passed another milestone in getting its zinc-silver-lead-copper Prairie Creek Mine up and running with an OK from John Duncan, the minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development.

The Fed's new near-zero interest rate policy and purchases under QE1 kicked off on 16 December 2008. On 15 December 2008 an ounce of gold cost $837.50.

A humourous look at grocery shopping in Canada's far north

Journalist Lindsay Bird writes about working in the camps near Fort McMurray, and comes away unimpressed

Greenpeace takes out ads saying investing in the mega-mine is "risky business" and calls into question the ability of India's GVK to pull off the project as the group "has never built a mine in Australia." State and federals officials call the campaign "deplorable and obnoxious." And that's just this week.

The 49-year-old boss of the world's largest mining company took home £9.8 million ($15.2 million) last year including bonuses, pension contributions and stock options.

The Spanish bailout is now being called 'voodoo economics' while EU finance officials are at the point of discussing limiting ATM withdrawals and doing border checks if and when Athens drops the euro.

The Qilalugaq Diamond Project includes the Qilalugaq kimberlite pipes and the Naujaat system of kimberlite dykes, and has been the focus of ongoing exploration and assessment work by Stornoway since it was optioned and subsequently acquired from BHPB Billiton Diamonds in July 2006 and July 2010.