Iron ore prices have turned around after crashing 30% in October, but longer term the outlook is not rosy for smaller players thanks in large part to the aggressive go-to-market strategy of the big three.

Fortune Minerals (TSE:FT), the Ontario company behind a huge anthracite coal project in BC, has signed a cooperation agreement with a native group for its NICO gold--bismuth-copper project in the Northwest Territories, Canada. "The signing of this agreement expands on our existing long-term relationship with the Tlicho Government and the Tlicho people", said Fortune Minerals President Robin Goad. "The agreement lays the foundation for discussions on fundamental topics of interest such as the possible environmental and cultural impacts of the NICO Project on Tlicho owned lands."

Statoil, the Norwegian state-owned energy company, is selling an oil platform to the highest bidder. The Huldra platform is located off the coast of Norway, about 16 miles from the Veslefrikk field. A slightly over-the-top ad is on the company's website extolling the virtues of oil platform ownership.

In the last month Bear Creek's stock (CVE:BCM) has gained 23% to $5.06 a share in anticipation of the company's feasibility study for the Corani silver-lead-zinc deposit. The company says that the study will be released in early November. The pre-feasibility study said that the Corani project could produced up to 10 million ounces of silver per year. "Additionally, the Corani project is well endowed with both lead and zinc, so by-product credits will result in low or negative cash costs per ounce of silver," stated the company.

CALGARY, ALBERTA--(Marketwire - Nov. 9, 2011) - Gold Royalties Corporation is pleased to announce that it has signed a binding letter agreement with Strategic Metals Ltd. (TSX-V: SMD) ("Strategic"). Under the terms of the letter agreement, Gold Royalties Corporation will acquire Strategic's net smelter royalty interests (the "Royalty Interests") in the Kink 3 mineral claim and the Northern Dancer tungsten-molybdenum property for $13.8 million, less any royalties earned on the Royalty Interests up to the closing date for the sale. "Having recently announced our expansion into Yukon with the acquisition of a royalty interest on the highly prospective Blende silver-zinc-lead deposit, Gold Royalties Corporation is very pleased to have reached this agreement with Strategic to add further high-quality Yukon mining royalties to our company. Combined with our existing royalty interests in Canada, we remain committed to the execution of our acquisition-focused business model and to our continued growth as an emerging royalty holder on mineral ore bodies in Canada," said Ryan Kalt, President of Gold Royalties Corporation.

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwire - Nov. 9, 2011) - Silvercorp Metals Inc. (TSX:SVM)(NYSE:SVM) ("Silvercorp" or the "Company") today announced that its Board of Directors has increased the amount of its quarterly dividend by 25%, from CAD$0.02 per share (CAD$0.08 annualized) to CAD$0.025 per share (CAD$0.10 annualized). The Company first began paying dividends in 2007 with an annual dividend of $0.05.

AngloGold Ashanti posted record quarterly adjusted headline earnings* of $457m and boosted its dividend to improve cash returns to shareholders. Payouts to shareholders will now be made quarterly, instead of twice yearly. "Our power to generate earnings and strong cash flow is clear in these numbers," Chief Executive Officer Mark Cutifani said. "The upward jump in the dividend demonstrates the fundamental strength of the business and the market, while maintaining the ability to fund our growth pipeline."

Consumers made the most of the dip in the price of bullion and mainland China's gold purchases via Hong Kong hit a record 56.9 tonnes in September, a sixfold increase year-on-year and up 30% from August, according to figures released by the Hong Kong government and reported by the FT. Quarterly data from the Hong Kong census and statistics office showed the Middle Kingdom imported about 140 tonnes of gold via Hong Kong in the three months from July to September ahead of the festival season, more than the roughly 120 tonnes for the whole of 2010. Over the last decade China's share of total global demand for bullion has climbed from 6% to 18%.

Bloomberg reports Rio de Janeiro-based Vale SA, the world’s largest iron-ore producer, said prices for the raw material have stabilized and are recovering from “rock bottom” levels as a result of lower-than-expected production and strong demand from China, India and South America. Iron ore for immediate delivery has gained 8% to $126.30 a tonne since reaching its lowest level in almost two years at the end of October. During the month iron ore prices crashed almost 30% forcing the big three – BHP, Vale and Rio Tinto control nearly 70% of the 1 billion tonne annual iron ore seaborne trade – to renegotiate quarterly contracts with Chinese buyers to bring values more in line with the spot price.