mineral exploration project – commodity prices – mining stock- trade and market

Brazilian mining giant Vale is not preparing a bid for Canada’s Potash Corp, two sources close to Vale told Reuters on Monday.

Potash, the world’s largest fertilizer supplier, is fighting off a $39 billion takeover offer from Australian mining company BHP Billiton and is seeking a white knight.

One source with direct knowledge of the situation, asked about a possible Vale bid, said, “I’m not seeing any movement in that direction. It’s a very big operation. If there were an offer, there would have to be some kind of movement.”

A second...

First Nickel Inc. is pleased to announce that it has entered into an engagement letter to appoint Societe Generale and Commonwealth Bank of Australia to act as exclusive lead arrangers for a senior secured project loan facility up to CAD$30 million. Any commitment by either Lead Arranger will be subject to, among other things, internal credit approval, due diligence, receipt of any government and regulatory approvals and definitive legal documentation, including the provision of a separate commitment letter.

An initial cash arrangement fee was paid to the Lead Arrangers upon signing of...

Turkey and Iran may jointly build two petrochemical units, state-run Press TV news channel reported, citing Iran’s Deputy Oil Minister.

Iran and Turkey are discussing construction of an urea and an ammonia unit in the industrial hub of Assaluyeh in southern Iran, Press TV said, citing Abdolhossein Bayat, who is also the managing director of National Iranian Petrochemical Co.

Talks include construction of a petrochemical plant in Miyandoab in western Azerbaijan province that can produce 539,000 tons of petrochemical products annually, the TV station reported.

Bayat, who...

Stocks in Australia’s biggest mining companies rose Monday as the government’s plans for a new tax on their profits were thrown into doubt after the nation’s closest election in almost 50 years delivered no clear mandate.

Trading in the rest of the market was flat, however, and Australia’s chamber of commerce urged companies to continue investing despite what will likely be two or three weeks of uncertainty about who will govern the country for the coming three years.

The center-left Labor Party — which has ruled for the past three years and remains in...

Junior coal miner Aston Resources Ltd has been reportedly identified by mining giants Xstrata and Peabody Energy Corporation for a possible buyout deal as sources privy to the company’s moves revealed that an initial public offering would be announced next week to raise an estimated $400 million.

The sources also said that the Noble Group of Singapore and Itochu of Japan have already gave their commitments as possible cornerstone investors for the acquisition with both pledging to collectively take up a total of $100 million worth of total shares under the proposal.

Fights about proper ownership of natural resources, especially mined product, have been a feature of Australian public policy debate since early settlement. Lack of consultation, arbitrariness and an overweening and greedy government famously caused the Eureka rebellion.

Fast forward to today, we have all these ingredients minus the muskets, plus retrospectivity, sovereign risk, slavering international competitors such as Brazil, Indonesia and South Africa, and a growing capital strike.

Much of the future impact of the Rudd government’s new mining tax is thought to fall on...

Bullion Monarch Mining Inc., a precious metals royalty and resource development company based in the...

A major investment by a Chinese company puts a big mining project near Eureka back on track.

General Moly Mines...