First Nickel Inc. (“First Nickel” or the “Company”) (TSX:FNI) is pleased to provide an update on its Lockerby Depth Project and its […]

Stornoway Diamond Corporation (TSX:SWY) is pleased to announce the2011 exploration budget for the Company's portfolio of diamond exploration projects. Stornoway's flagship property is the 100% owned Renard Diamond Project in north-central Quebec, where a Feasibility Study and an associated Environmental and Social Impact Assessment are on track for completion in the third quarter of this year. Over the upcoming 12 month period Stornoway will also conduct a complementary program of discovery oriented exploration at several additional projects elsewhere within Canadawhere the potential exists for the discovery of new kimberlite camps close to infrastructure. Stornoway has allocated a budget of $5.6m to the 2011 exploration program, to be funded from existing cash resources.

Labrador Iron Mines Holdings Limited (TSX:LIM) (the "Company" or "LIM") is pleased to announce that it has completed its previously announced public offering of C$100,000,000 in common shares and C$10,000,500 in flow-through shares of the Company, at a price of C$12.50 per common share and C$15.00 per flow-through share (collectively, the "Offering"). The Offering was completed by a syndicate of underwriters led by Canaccord Genuity Corp. and included BMO Nesbitt Burns Inc., Jennings Capital Inc., Haywood Securities Inc. and Scotia Capital Inc. (collectively, the "Underwriters").

Belgian group Umicore (UMI.BR: Quote) forecast improved earnings this year due to strong demand for its automotive catalysts and improved supply for its precious metal recycling business. The metals and speciality materials maker said on Tuesday it expected 2011 operating profit (recurring earnings before interest and tax) to rise to 400-425 million euros ($559-$594 million) from 342 million last year.

Northland Resources has contracted Metso to supply the mineral processing equipment and services for the two processing lines at Northland’s Kaunisvaara iron ore project in northern Sweden. The order is valued at $293 million and covers the complete equipment package for the processing plant, including two primary gyratory crushers, two AG mills, seven vertical grinding mills (VTM 3000), magnetic separators and seven VPA press filters.

Has world top gold miner, Barrick Gold, given up on its principles to remain predominantly a gold producer? While the copper content of Barrick's business has been growing in recent years as the acquisition and development of some of its biggest new gold projects involve the co-mining of copper from big gold/copper porphyry type orebodies, today's announced agreement to acquire copper miner Equinox seems designed to move it even more into the polymetallic production space.

A nickel mine in northern Manitoba will start producing again after a 6-month suspension of operations due to a dispute over contractors, […]

Thompson Creek Minerals has spurned an option with U.S. Energy Corp. to acquire an interest in the Mount Emmons molybdenum project in Colorado's Gunnison County. According to a story in today's Globe and Mail, the Denver-based company has decided instead to focus on exploring its Berg property in British Columbia: Chairman and CEO Kevin Loughrey said the property can potentially expand its molybdenum production while also helping the company's diversification efforts.

In the last 25 years, the percentage of Aboriginal workers in Rio Tinto's Australian workforce has gone from 0.5 to 8. Today, The Australian reports, the company is believed to be the biggest private-sector employer of indigenous Australians.

At the company’s Argyle diamond mine in the Kimberley, for example, almost 25 per cent of the workforce is Aboriginal. In the booming iron ore country of the Pilbara, where 13 per cent of the population is Aboriginal, Rio aims to lift indigenous employment by 1 per cent a year.