Mineweb Top Stories (December, 14 2012): China now world's largest market for silver investment.

TOP STORIES | Friday , 14 Dec 2012                                                     

China now world's largest market for silver investment China’s growing importance to the global silver market has been fueled by more investment demand, modernized mining practices, and the nation’s status as the world’s 2nd largest silver fabricator, says Thomson Reuters GFMS.    Friday , 14 Dec 2012

ArcelorMittal reduces Baffinland Iron Mines stake to 50% ArcelorMittal and Nunavut Iron Ore will now each hold a 50/50 stake in the massive Mary River Iron Ore Project as the latter's stake is increased.    Friday , 14 Dec 2012

China growth to underpin 2013 copper prices at high levels – Goldman Sachs The bank says improved economic activity, especially in the Chinese housing sector, should make 2013 a solid/bullish year for copper.    Friday , 14 Dec 2012

Egypt tightens screws on Centamin Gold - Nationalisation prelude or hardball bargaining? Centamin, with its rapidly growing Sukari gold mine in Egypt – the country’s only modern mining operation, had been seen as a major gold mining success story – but perhaps no longer...    Thursday , 13 Dec 2012

Junior lithium producers in spotlight as takeover targets for Rockwood Though there isn't another Talison out there for Rockwood, speculation mounts nonetheless about alternatives. Here's a few.    Friday , 14 Dec 2012

Warning: the following post displays a C$70,000 diamond Stornoway Diamonds cut some spectacular diamonds in a recent bulk sample.    Friday , 14 Dec 2012

Palamin deal all about the magnetite - IDC South Africa's Industrial Development Corporation sees Palamin's 240 million tonne magnetite dump as a great feed source for a second South African steel producer.    Thursday , 13 Dec 2012

Seabridge Gold upping exploration for higher grades at KSM Canadian explorer Seabridge is continuing to add value to its massive KSM project in BC, Canada with a new drilling programme to continue its search for higher grade ore zones.    Thursday , 13 Dec 2012

Outgoing Norilsk Nickel CEO to get $100m severance deal Sources close to the company say Vladimir Strzhalkovsky will receive a one-off payment of $50 million and two further payments of $25 million each after six months and one year.    Friday , 14 Dec 2012

Workers at Peru’s Southern Copper agree to two-day strike Union leader Adrian Mamani says workers at the main units of Southern Copper will go on strike December 24 and 25 and are demanding a 15% wage increase.    Friday , 14 Dec 2012

Mine automation’s future in Australia Australia’s CSIRO and equipment manufacturer Sandvik are making good progress on mine automation with communications technology key to further developments.    Friday , 14 Dec 2012

South Australia scrambles to fill $28bn Olympic Dam hole The state had counted on BHP Billiton’s expansion of the Olympic Dam mine to kick-start growth in an economy with a fading manufacturing base.    Thursday , 13 Dec 2012

Outotec gets marketing rights for Ausmelt TSL zinc fuming technology Outotec has regained the global marketing rights to Ausmelt's TSL zinc fuming technology in a deal with Korea Zinc.    Friday , 14 Dec 2012

KGHM applies for Kazakh exploration licence CEO Herbert Wirth says the company has placed a bid for a copper and other metals exploration in Kazakhstan.    Thursday , 13 Dec 2012

Sierra Leone iron ore mining awakens ghosts of war For workers and townspeople of Bumbuna, the violence that erupted in April around a nearby iron ore mine is awakening the very ghosts of war that mineral-led growth is meant to lay to rest.    Thursday , 13 Dec 2012

Assore on winning streak as production expands South Africa's Assore extended its rising streak to 8 straight days to a record high as investors showed their support for an expansion of production capacity.    Thursday , 13 Dec 2012

Kumba, ArcelorMittalSA reach fresh pricing deal South Africa's Kumba Iron Ore will supply up to 4.8 million tonnes of ore at $65 per tonne next year as the companies try to resolve a pricing dispute.    Thursday , 13 Dec 2012

Silver fighting to stay above $33 but may not succeed The technical picture shows that gold and silver’ trading range is narrowing again, warning that a strong move either way is expected shortly.    Thursday , 13 Dec 2012

Coal of Africa re-hires sacked South African workers The company has re-hired the 178 workers it sacked last week for going on an illegal strike at its Mooiplaats mine.    Thursday , 13 Dec 2012

Yesterday's top story: Gold analysts ignoring 40% of the market - Clyde Russell Clyde Russell reckons the reason gold analysts are struggling to determine the direction of prices is because they’re ignoring 40% of the market, China and India.    Thursday , 13 Dec 2012

PODCASTS / RADIO

High grade, stock ownership and other important factors for a successful gold miner - McEwen “I like what I see going forward.... If you can access capital and you can deliver a return to shareholders you're going to be ok and your shareholders are going to do well.”

Patience the key to playing today’s rare earths market – Chris Berry Speaking to Mineweb in London, Chris Berry, President of House Mountain Partners looks at the lay of the rare earths land and explains why he currently prefers graphite.

Gold miners need to do something drastic - Mark Bristow Unless something changes, the gold sector could well face similar problems to those being seen in the platinum sector, Randgold CEO, Mark Bristow says.

Mining finance trends and how to raise capital - Tyler

Nedbank Capital's Mark Tyler looks at some of the challenges facing miners looking for capital at the moment.