The Philippines will offer 30 coal exploration projects in the central and northern provinces, where mining is not yet banned that may need total investments of $600 million at a tender to be held in the first quarter of 2012.

Coin Update reports for November 2011, sales of the United States Mint’s most popular gold and silver bullion coins fell to their lowest monthly levels in years after first slowing down in October. Sales of the one ounce American Silver Eagle coins were 1,384,000 for November, down by more than 50% from the previous month and down by nearly two-thirds from a year ago while the American Gold Eagle coin sales totaled 41,000 ounces for November 2011, down from 50,000 ounces in the previous month, and down more than half last year's monthly sales.

Sandvik Mining and Construction and Flandershave entered a formal partnership to automate surface mining drill rigs and provide autonomous operation.

As workers in South America and Indonesia strike for better wages and to receive more of a share of mineral wealth wrought by rising copper prices, a mine in South Africa is handing over cash to its employees. The Financial Post reports on Kumba Iron Ore's employee share ownership scheme, whereby workers who have been at the mine more than five years can earn a lump sum of 345,000 rand (about US$43,000).

While large zinc stockpiles, weak prices and cloudy global economic projections cast a veil of gloom over zinc markets, salvation is not far away.

Canada is reviewing a policy that restricts foreign ownership of uranium mines, but there has been no decision on revising those rules at this time, Natural Resources Minister Joe Oliver said on Friday.

Silver Bull Resources Inc. (SVB.TO,SVBL) is trading over 7% higher today at 58 cents a share and the company receiving a $5-million investment from Coeur d'Alene Mines Corp. (CDM.TO,CDE) as part of a larger non-brokered sale of stock raising $7.525 million in gross proceeds.

A group of First Nations in British Columbia says it will do “whatever means necessary” to stop exports of crude oil from Alberta’s oilsands through their territories — including the controversial Enbridge Northern Gateway oil pipeline.

Bloomberg reported copper traders are bullish on signs that demand is rising due to a drop in global inventories.