Tungsten Notes

Looking good for tungsten

2010-07-31T13:20:00.001-07:00

China's Tungsten Demand to Grow Eight Percent this Year

July 22, 2010 @ 11:56 am In Feature Articles, Tungsten Articles

By Leia Michele Toovey- Exclusive to Tungsten Investing News ^[1]

^[2]China is taking measures to make sure they will be able to supply their domestic tungsten demand; but these measures have a few countries calling foul play.

In 2010, it is estimated that China will account for 37 percent of the world's tungsten consumption, and the nations thirst for the metal is showing no signs of slowing down. In order to meet their growing demand for minor metals, the country is once again curbing exports, a move for which they are already under investigation. At the current pace of exploration and production, China's resources of tungsten will last 20 years, and molybdenum ^[3] 100 years. The government will cap this year's output of tungsten at 80,0000 tonnes, antimony at 100,000 tonnes and rare earth ^[4] at 89,200 tonnes.

China's curbs on exports of some raw materials have triggered complaints by the European Union, U.S. and Mexico to the World Trade Organization (WTO). The WTO is currently investigating if China's export curbs lend an unfair advantage to domestic manufacturers. The nation in March said it stopped accepting applications for new mines to produce tungsten and antimony until June 2011. China holds approximately 50 percent of the world's known tungsten reserves.

Despite the current probe, the nation will continue to cut back shipment and production of minor metals to conserve resources and limit pollution, an official said. "Tungsten, molybdenum and vanadium ^[5] are mineral resources that give China an advantage and are non-renewable," according to Zhang Fengkui, division head of raw materials at the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.

In China, the hard alloy sector uses the majority of the tungsten supply, accounting for 58 percent, or 14,504 mt of tungsten. It is forecasted that tungsten consumption by the local hard alloy sector will grow by 8 percent this year, reaching 15,660 mt, Meanwhile, China's specialty steel sector will be the second-largest tungsten consumer, devouring 5,907 mt in 2010, up from 5,791 mt last year. This would account for 22 percent of China's national tungsten consumption this year.

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Petro Horizon Energy initiates a name change to Green Light Resources - for full release see http://www.PetroHorizonEnergy.ca

2010-05-04T14:01:00.001-07:00

Adex Mining tests Mount Pleasant plant for production

2010-03-04T10:12:00.001-08:00

Adex Mining tests Mount Pleasant plant for production
Ticker Symbol: C:ADE

Adex Mining Inc (C:ADE)
Shares Issued 96,526,026
Last Close 3/2/2010 $0.125
Wednesday March 03 2010 - News Release

Mr. Errol Farr reports

ADEX ANNOUNCES PILOT PLANT TESTING OF PROCESSING OPTIONS FOR ITS MOUNT PLEASANT PROPERTY

Adex Mining Inc. continues with the the process development options outlined in its recently filed National Instrument 43-101-compliant preliminary assessment report on the North zone of its wholly owned Mount Pleasant mine property, located in southwestern New Brunswick, Canada.

Two potential North zone production options resulted from the PA -- the production of tin concentrate, indium sponge and zinc metal, and the production of tin concentrate and zinc-indium concentrate.

Adex has engaged SGS Lakefield to perform bench scale performance and locked cycle testing for its tin concentrate and zinc-indium concentrate production option and has secured a spot with SGS for commencement in April of pilot plant operations.

As well, Adex has engaged Thibault & Associates Inc. of New Brunswick for pilot testing and continuing development of a comprehensive flowsheet of its hydrometallurgical process for the production of zinc metal and indium sponge metal.

Results from pilot plant test work, expected by mid-summer 2010, will, if positive, lead directly to a definitive feasibility study ("DFS"), which will initially run concurrently with the final stages of the pilot plant programs. Positive results from the DFS as well as government regulatory approvals and project financing are expected to lead to a production decision before the end of 2010.

Pending the developments referred to above, Adex expects to be positioned to construct an access decline and begin engineering and procurement of processing equipment by early 2011. Concentrator production is targeted for late 2011.

The PA, which is available at SEDAR, indicated pre-tax internal rates of return ("IRR") for the tin concentrate, indium sponge and zinc metal production option and the tin concentrate and zinc-indium concentrate production option of 28.87% and 23.49%, respectively. The PA also indicated an after-tax IRR of 22.55% for the tin concentrate, indium sponge and zinc metal production option, and an after-tax IRR of 18% for the tin concentrate and zinc-indium concentrate production option.

The PA and the economic analyses contained therein are preliminary in nature and contain "Inferred" mineral resources that are considered too speculative geologically to have the economic considerations applied to them that would enable them to be categorized as mineral reserves, and there is no certainty that the PA will be realized with more detailed work. Mineral resources that are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability.

The Property hosts the tungsten-molybdenum bearing Fire Tower Zone ("FTZ") and the tin-indium-zinc bearing North zone. The FTZ is the site of a past-producing tungsten-molybdenum underground mining operation that produced and sold tungsten concentrate between 1983 and 1985.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:
J. Errol Farr, CMA
President, Chief Executive Officer and Director
Adex Mining Inc.
1-866-508-2339 (ADEX)
Email: investorrelations@adexmining.com
Website: www.adexmining.com

Adex Mining tests Mount Pleasant plant for production Ticker Symbol: C:ADE

2010-03-03T08:35:00.001-08:00

Adex Mining tests Mount Pleasant plant for production

Adex Mining Inc (C:ADE)
Shares Issued 96,526,026
Last Close 3/2/2010 $0.125
Wednesday March 03 2010 - News Release

Mr. Errol Farr reports

ADEX ANNOUNCES PILOT PLANT TESTING OF PROCESSING OPTIONS FOR ITS MOUNT PLEASANT PROPERTY

Two potential North zone production options resulted from the PA -- the production of tin concentrate, indium sponge and zinc metal, and the production of tin concentrate and zinc-indium concentrate.

Geodex to start prefeasibility work at Sisson Brook

2010-02-17T12:18:00.001-08:00

GEODEX PROVIDES CORPORATE UPDATE AND STRATEGIC DIRECTION

Geodex Minerals Ltd. has released a corporate update on progress during 2009 and announce its strategic direction for advancing its flagship Sisson Brook tungsten-molybdenum project in New Brunswick.

Strategic direction for 2010

Geodex's business plan remains focused on advancing its flagship Sisson Brook tungsten-molybdenum project toward production and maintaining an aggressive portfolio of prospective exploration properties in New Brunswick. The company announced in Stockwatch the closing of a $1.1-million private placement financing on Jan. 29, 2010, and has implemented a number of measures to maximize the use of its treasury and focus its resources on advancing certain aspects of the Sisson Brook prefeasibility program.

To read the rest Click Here

Adex sees interest grow in New Brunswick project

2010-02-17T09:57:00.001-08:00

TORONTO (miningweekly.com) – Canadian junior Adex Mining, which plans to produce tin, indium, zinc, and eventually molybdenum and tungsten, from its flagship New Brunswick property, is getting a lot of interest in all five metals from potential customers or partners in Asia , North America and Europe, CEO Errol Farr said on Friday.

The company is "intimately involved" in talking about offtake agreements and partnership arrangements, for both the first and second phases of the operation, he said in an interview at the company's Toronto headquarters.

To read more click here

Adex Announces Filing of NI 43-101 Compliant Preliminary Assessment of the North Zone at its Mount Pleasant Property

2010-02-16T14:09:00.001-08:00

Adex Mining Inc. is pleased to announce the filing of a National Instrument 43-101 ("NI 43-101") compliant preliminary assessment report (the "PA") on the North Zone ("NZ") of its wholly-owned Mount Pleasant Mine Property ("Mount Pleasant" or the "Property"), located in southwestern New Brunswick, Canada with the Ontario, British Columbia and Alberta securities commissions.

As reported in a press release issued by Adex on December 9, 2009 (Adex Mining Reports Indium, Zinc and Tin Production Options for Mount Pleasant North Zone), the results of the PA indicate that there are two potentially viable production options for the NZ, including the production of tin concentrate, indium sponge and zinc metal, and the production of tin concentrate and zinc-indium concentrate. Based on a 10-year projected life for the NZ and production rate of 850 tonnes per day, the PA shows pre-tax internal rates of return ("IRR") for the tin concentrate, indium sponge and zinc metal production option and the tin concentrate and zinc-indium concentrate production option of 28.87% and 23.49%, respectively.

The press release issued by Adex on December 9, 2009 indicated an after-tax NPV and IRR for tin concentrate, indium sponge and zinc metal production option of $54.2 million and 23.94%, respectively, and an after-tax NPV and IRR for tin concentrate and zinc-indium concentrate production option of $21.5 million and 19.3%, respectively. A modification to the tax computation structure resulted in the reported after-tax values being slightly higher than the values currently indicated in the PA. The PA indicates an after-tax NPV and IRR for the tin concentrate, indium sponge and zinc metal production option of $47.2 million and 22.55%, respectively, and an after-tax NPV and IRR for the tin concentrate and zinc-indium concentrate production option of $18.1 million and 18.0%, respectively. The pre-tax NPVs and IRRs are, however, consistent between the press release issued by Adex on December 9, 2009 and the PA. Adex's position is not materially affected by the changes in the after-tax results.

To read the full release click here

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:

J. Errol Farr, CMA
President, Chief Executive Officer and Director
Adex Mining Inc.
1-866-508-2339 (ADEX)
Email: investorrelations@adexmining.com
Website: www.adexmining.com

Adex Announces Lab Scale Production of Indium

2010-01-12T22:56:00.001-08:00

Toronto – January 12, 2010 – Adex Mining Inc. ("Adex" or the "Company") (TSX-V: ADE) is pleased to announce it has successfully developed a process for the production of a high purity indium at its Mount Pleasant Mine Property ("Mount Pleasant" or the "Property"), located in southwestern New Brunswick Canada.

Adex overcame a major hurdle at the close of 2009 by producing the first few grams of indium in its bench scale hydrometallurgical process (the "hydromet process") development program. "I am very optimistic," stated Errol Farr, Adex President and CEO. "It doesn't seem like much when you hold it in your hand, but this little nugget sized piece of indium represents the promise of Adex's success at Mount Pleasant. The potential to produce and direct market a high grade indium product would put Adex in a unique position amongst junior mining companies."

The bench scale process development work completed to date indicates that the unique hydromet process technology is capable of producing indium in excess of 88% purity. Bench scale optimization of process chemistry to confirm design parameters for the hydromet pilot plant testwork is ongoing.

To read the full release click here

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:

J. Errol Farr, CMA
President, Chief Executive Officer and Director
Adex Mining Inc.
1-866-508-2339 (ADEX)
Email: investorrelations@adexmining.com
Website: www.adexmining.com

Adex Mining Closes $1,000,000.00 F-T Financing

2009-12-30T13:57:00.001-08:00

Adex Announces the Completion of a Private Placement of Units Consisting of One Flow-Through Common Share and One Half of One Common Share Purchase Warrant Raising $1,009,040

Toronto – December 30, 2009 – Adex Mining Inc. ("Adex" or the "Company") (TSX-V: ADE) is pleased to announce that it has raised $1,009,040 through a private placement completed today of 8,408,665 units (the "Units") at a price of $0.12 per Unit (the "Offering"). Each Unit is comprised of one flow-through common share of Adex (a "Flow-Through Share") within the meaning of the Income Tax Act (Canada) and one-half of one common share purchase warrant (a "Warrant"). Each whole Warrant entitles the holder thereof to acquire one common share of Adex at a price of $0.175 at any time prior to 5:00 p.m. (Toronto time) on the first anniversary of the date of the closing of the Offering and at a price of $0.20 at any time following 5:00 p.m. (Toronto time) on the first anniversary of the date of the closing of the Offering and prior to 5:00 p.m. (Toronto time) on the second anniversary of the date of the closing of the Offering at which time any unexercised Warrants will expire.

On the closing of the Offering, First Canadian Securities, a division of Limited Market Dealer Inc., ("First Canadian") was paid a cash finder's fee of $19,000 representing 2% of the gross proceeds of the Offering raised through the subscriptions by members of the MineralFields Group of Companies for an aggregate of $950,000 of Units. In addition, First Canadian was issued irrevocable and non-transferable finder's fee options (the "First Canadian Finder's Fee Options") to purchase 554,166 finder's fee units (the "Finder's Fee Units") (equal to 7% of the 7,916,665 Units sold pursuant to the Offering to members of the MineralFields Group of Companies) at a price of $0.12 per Finder's Fee Unit at any time prior to 5:00 p.m. (Toronto time) on the second anniversary of the date of the closing of the Offering. Each Finder's Fee Unit will consist of one common share and one-half of one Warrant. Kingsdale Capital Markets Inc. ("Kingsdale") was paid a cash finder's fee of $600 representing 2% of the gross proceeds of the Offering raised through subscriptions arranged for by Kingsdale. Kingsdale was also issued irrevocable and non-transferable finder's fee options (the "Kingsdale Finder's Fee Options") to purchase 262,499 finder's fee units (the "Finder's Fee Units") (equal to 3% of the 7,916,665 Units sold pursuant to the Offering to members of the MineralFields Group of Companies and 10% of the 250,000 Units sold to subscribers arranged for by Kingsdale). The Kingsdale Finder's Fee Options have terms identical to those of the First Canadian Finder's Fee Options

Adex will use the gross proceeds from the Offering to incur exploration expenditures which are eligible as Canadian Exploration Expenses under the Income Tax Act (Canada). The exploration expenditures will be made to advance development of the Company's wholly-owned Mount Pleasant Mine Property located in New Brunswick, Canada.

"We are very pleased to be commencing a relationship with MineralFields Group", said Errol Farr, the President and Chief Executive Officer of Adex. "This is an important milestone in the growth of Adex and we look forward to working with MineralFields Group as we advance the development of our wholly-owned Mount Pleasant Mine Property located in New Brunswick, Canada."

To View the full Release Click Here

www.AdexMining.com

Geodex Minerals Suspends Financing announced November 4 2009

2009-12-22T14:19:00.000-08:00

Geodex Minerals Ltd. (TSX-V:GXM), ("Geodex") announces that it has been unable to close its financing, announced on November 4, 2009, before the holiday season. Geodex has therefore suspended the financing until the New Year and will re-announce the financing in the context of the market.

To view the full release click here

Visit the company Web Site www.GeodexMinerals.com

Geodex Minerals increases the measured and indicated resources at its Sisson Brook Project

2009-12-20T01:33:00.001-08:00

Geodex Minerals Ltd. has received an updated independent National Instrument (NI) 43-101 compliant mineral resource estimate for its Sisson Brook tungsten-molybdenum deposit in New Brunswick. It incorporates 4,900 metres (m) of new drilling carried out this summer. The drilling was successful in reaching its objectives, including the primary purpose to upgrade a significant portion of the inferred resource to the measured and indicated resource category for use in the upcoming prefeasibility study (described later in this news release). The measured and indicated resource tonnage increased by 31 per cent with a slightly higher grade at the mid-range category (0.125 WO3 per cent equivalent threshold). The mineral resources are not mineral reserves, as economic viability has not yet been demonstrated. Full results are on the company's website.

To read the full Release Click here

Contact the company at 604-689-7771

www.GeodexMinerals.com

ORIENTAL MINERALS CLOSES $6.6 MILLION PRIVATE PLACEMENT

2009-12-17T14:05:00.001-08:00

Oriental Minerals Inc. (OTL: TSX-V) (the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has completed a partially brokered private placement of 82,500,000 units (each a "Unit") at a price of $0.08 Canadian per Unit, generating gross proceeds of CAD$6.6 million (the "Placement"). Each Unit comprises one common share and one half of one purchase warrant (each a "Warrant"), with each whole Warrant exercisable into one common share of the Company at a price of $0.12 Canadian until December 17, 2011. The placement was brokered by GMP Securities Europe LLP ("GMP") of London, UK, with the assistance of Westech International Pty Ltd. ("Westech"), on a best efforts basis and was primarily made to investors in the United Kingdom and Australia.

A cash commission of 8% of the proceeds raised has been paid which was split 75%/25% between GMP and Westech respectively. The Company also issued 16,500,000 broker's warrants, having the same terms as the Warrant, representing 20% of the Units placed, which is split 30%/70% between GMP and Westech respectively.

All of the securities issued pursuant to the Placement are subject to a four month hold period expiring on April 18, 2010.

US$1 million of the proceeds from the Placement will be used to secure the Company's 51% interest in the mineral title for the Sangdong property by making a final payment to the Korean vendor, with 49% being held in trust for the vendor pending the tabling of a bankable feasibility study, at which time the vendor will surrender its 49% interest and retain only a net smelter royalty of 2%. The balance of the proceeds will be used to facilitate work on the ground in Korea to advance its Tungsten and Molybdenum project at Sangdong, the gold project at Muguk, and for general working capital.

Wardrop Engineering, a reputable Canadian engineering company, has built a model using the results of the Company's current, and the historical owners' prior, drilling campaigns at Sangdong, from which the Company has identified targets for further drilling to provide the requisite data to better define the resource and allow the Company to complete and issue a Preliminary Economic Assessment Report. It is envisaged that further funding will be required to complete infill drilling to better understand the extent of the mineralization, allow further modeling and engineering studies to define the most economical process routes, and to take the Sangdong tungsten/molybdenum project through the Pre-, and Bankable-, Feasibility Study phases.

Concurrent with the Placement, the Company has engaged Westech to manage the Company, as a result of which Mr. Brian Wesson will assume the roles of President & Chief Executive Officer and Ms. Amelia Wesson will assume the role of Vice President Administration. Mr. Fodie, the current President & CEO will remain with the Company in the role of Chief Financial Officer.

"I am extremely pleased to have been able to complete this financing in such difficult financial markets, which is an indication of the value of the rights Oriental holds in Korea, in addition to the experience Westech brings to the Company" Mr. Fodie stated. "Westech brings extensive skills and knowledge in the design and redeveloping of mines and projects that are critical to successfully re-developing the Sangdong property into a significant tungsten supplier to Korea and the world."

"We are excited to be leading Oriental into this new phase of its evolution" said Mr. Brian Wesson, President of Westech. "In addition to Sangdong, historically one of the world's largest known tungsten deposits, and Muguk, historically Korea's largest gold mine, there are a number of other projects containing molybdenum, lead, zinc, uranium and vanadium, and potential acquisition targets, that make Oriental a very exciting Company to be developing."

About Oriental Minerals
Oriental Minerals is focused on developing world-class mining projects in South Korea. The company is working on proving up its flagship Sangdong tungsten-molybdenum project which was formerly one of the largest tungsten mines in the world.

To read the complete release Click Here

www.orientalminerals.com

Teck Resources elects to drop option in Geodex Minerals Ltd.'s Mount Pleasant West project

2009-12-17T10:36:00.001-08:00

Teck Resources Ltd. has not elected to exercise its option to acquire an interest in Geodex Minerals Ltd.'s Mount Pleasant West project in New Brunswick. In total, Teck provided $2.5-million in financing for exploration programs on the Mount Pleasant West project which were completed in 2009. Five hundred thousand dollars of the financing was provided under a convertible grid promissory note which Teck has agreed to convert into two million Geodex units at a deemed price of 25 cents per unit. Each unit consists of one common share and one Geodex warrant. One full Geodex warrant will be exercisable into one additional Geodex common share at 25 cents per share for two years. All securities issued in connection with the Teck debt settlement will be subject to a four-month hold. The debt settlement is subject to TSX Venture Exchange approval.

Geodex holds the Mount Pleasant West project in south-central New Brunswick through an extensive land position of approximately 20 kilometres by 10 km acquired by independent staking and option agreements. The project is located adjacent to the Mount Pleasant mine property (owned by Adex Mining Inc.) and is prospective for a variety of granite-related deposits of molybdenum, tungsten, tin and indium. Geodex began exploring at Mount Pleasant West in 2005, focusing on evaluating historical showings, soil geochemical anomalies and mineralized float discoveries which had not been systematically tested. During the agreement term with Teck there were a series of surface exploration programs consisting of prospecting, soil geochemistry and geophysical surveys followed by trenching and diamond drilling. To date, more than 55 holes have been drilled totalling over 11,000 metres. This drilling has returned mineralized intersections, typically related to veins or chlorite-altered lodes associated with granitic dikes or sills. Geodex's exploration modelling is based on the belief that these features represent the upper-level expressions of potential deposits at depth -- a situation analogous to that at the Mount Pleasant mine.

Geodex will review the Mount Pleasant West project to determine the most effective strategy in 2010......

To read the full Release Click here

Contact the company at 604-689-7771

www.GeodexMinerals.com

Adex Mining Inc Reports a Positive Assessment on the North Zone - IRR - 28.87

2009-12-09T16:07:00.001-08:00

ADEX MINING REPORTS INDIUM, ZINC AND TIN PRODUCTION OPTIONS FOR MOUNT PLEASANT NORTH ZONE

Adex Mining Inc. has released the results of a new preliminary assessment (PA) on its wholly owned Mount Pleasant mine property, located in southwestern New Brunswick, Canada. Mount Pleasant is the site of a past-producing tungsten-molybdenum underground mining operation, which operated during the 1980s. This PA is a preliminary technical and economic assessment of the production of tin, indium and zinc products from the North zone (NZ) of the property.

The results of the PA indicate that there are two viable production options for the NZ, including the production of tin concentrate, indium sponge and zinc metal, and the production of tin concentrate and zinc-indium concentrate. Based on a 10-year project life and production rate of 850 tonnes per day, the PA shows pretax internal rates of return (IRR) for the tin concentrate, indium sponge and zinc metal production option, and the tin concentrate and zinc-indium concentrate production option of 28.87 per cent and 23.49 per cent, respectively, as shown in the table entitled, "Internal rates of return."

                         INTERNAL RATES OF RETURN                       

                                           Option 1 --         Option 2 --
                                          production of       production of
                                       tin concentrate,    tin concentrate
                                         indium sponge     and zinc-indium
                                         and zinc metal         concentrate

Pretax IRR                                      28.87%              23.49%
After-tax IRR                                   23.94%              19.30%
 After-tax net present value
(NPV) (discounted at 8 per cent)         $54.2-million       $21.5-million
Preproduction capital                    $71.1-million       $41.2-million
Production rate (tonnes per day)                   850                 850

"These are exciting times for Adex," said Errol Farr, president and chief executive officer of Adex. "The PA results reinforce Adex's plans for piloting the concentrate and metals flowsheets as a next phase leading to definitive feasibility and production. The NZ development is an integral part of Adex's overall strategy for producing tin, indium, zinc, tungsten and molybdenum from the resources at the property."

For the full release click here

Investor Relations Contact
Toll free: (866) 508-ADEX (508-2339)
Email: investorrelations@adexmining.com

North American Tungsten Successfully Completes Private Placement Financing in 7 days.

2009-11-30T19:28:00.001-08:00

NORTH AMERICAN TUNGSTEN CORPORATION LTD. (the "Company") announces that it has completed the CAD$3,065,000 private placement financing announced on November 23, 2009. The Company issued a total of 20,433,333 common shares ("Common Shares") at a price of CAD$0.15 per Common Share. The Common Shares issued pursuant to the private placement are subject to a hold period that expires on March 28, 2010 in accordance with applicable Canadian securities laws and the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange.

The proceeds of the private placement will be used for working capital.

For full release please visit the Company website NTC News

www.NorthAmericanTungsten.com

INVESTOR CONTACT:
info@natungsten.com, Phone: +1.604.684.5300 Fax: +1.604.684.2992

Gold and Tungsten discovery on the sourthern tip of Greenland

2009-11-25T21:41:00.001-08:00

Exploration firm NunaMinerals (NUNA.CO) has made a gold discovery on the sourthern tip of Greenland, the company said on Monday, lifting its shares sharply.

"Significant gold discoveries have been identified in two of five drilled targets in the Vagar exclusive licence," Copenhagen-listed NunaMinerals A/S said in a statement.

The company said further investigation, including drilling and test mining, would be needed to determine the grade and volume of the discoveries.

NunaMinerals' shares leapt 31.4 percent to 230 crowns by 1006 GMT.

The discoveries were made on the north coast of the 300 square km Niaqornaarsuk peninsula, about 25 km north of the Nalunaq Gold Mine, it said. Nalunaq, where commercial mining began in 2004, is Greenland's first gold mine.

"It is encouraging that the two largest targets yield remarkably higher gold contents than the target at Kirkespirdalen where Nalunaq Gold Mine is situated," Chief Executive Ole Christiansen said in the statement.

In addition to gold, scheelite, which is a tungsten mineral, has also been found at the prospect, NunaMinerals said.

"Tungsten is a strategic mineral and concentrates of scheelite are readily saleable," Christiansen said.

As a consequence of the discoveries, NunaMinerals has applied to enlarge the Vagar licence to about 470 km2 from 287 km2, the Nuuk, Greenland-based company said.

(Reporting by John Acher)

Currais Novos Tungsten project acquired by Largo Resources Ltd

2009-11-24T22:14:00.000-08:00

TORONTO, ONTARIO -- 11/24/09 -- Largo Resources Ltd. (TSX VENTURE: LGO) is pleased to announce that it has signed an option agreement with Emprogeo Ltda. ("Emprogeo"), to acquire the Currais Novos Tungsten project. The project envisions the reprocessing and recovery of tungsten and molybdenum from tailings deposited during the processing of ore from the Barra Verde tungsten-molybdenum mine that has operated intermittently since 1957.

In addition, Largo is pleased to report that it is in advanced discussions with a major end user of tungsten with respect to collaboration on the Currais Novos Tungsten project, subject to favourable due diligence and an economic evaluation.

Mark Brennan, President and CEO of Largo, stated: "We are very excited with the prospects for Currais Novos. We have conducted initial due diligence that indicates potentially attractive economics over a 5 year period at current prices as well as a moderately short start-up period. The development of the Currais Novos tungsten project is part of Largo's strategy to work with a major end user of tungsten to bring the Northern Dancer project to production."

The Currais Novos property is located 180 kilometres west-southwest of Natal in the State of Rio Grande do Norte, Northeastern Brazil (see attached location map below). The project is in the municipality of Currais Novos, on the Campina Grande-Natal highway, about 6 km. south of the city of Currais Novos.

The 148 hectare property consists of one (1) concession on which the tailings are situated. No compliant NI 43-101 resource exists for the tailings material. Preliminary samples taken by Largo resulted in grade estimates of approximately 0.15% WO3 and 0.05% molybdenum which are within the range estimated by the current owners. The potential grade is conceptual in nature since there has been insufficient exploration to define a mineral resource and it is uncertain if further exploration will result in the target being delineated as a mineral resource.

Upon the signing of the respective acquisition agreement, Largo shall have the option to acquire a 100% interest in the tailings, subject to the terms and conditions set forth therein, for a purchase price of US$500,000 payable in instalments over a 6-month period commencing in January 2010, subject to satisfactory due diligence.

Largo plans to use the due diligence period to establish a NI 43-101 compliant mineral resource for the tailings and also to carry out testwork to establish its process and metallurgical characteristics. In addition, all necessary title, legal, environmental and marketing aspects will be reviewed. Based on the estimated source and apparent nature of the Currais Novos tailings, Largo believes that there is potential for near-term production of tungsten and molybdenum concentrates.

The Currais Novos property is underlain by a portion of the Serido Mobile Belt (SMB) which is located in northeastern Brazil and consists of a gneiss basement (Paleo-Proterozoic), a metasedimentary sequence (marble, quartzites, and schists), and the Brasiliano igneous suite (both of Neo-Proterozoic age). In this region, numerous mineralized skarns occur within marble and at the marble-schist contact in the metasedimentary sequence and have been known since at least the 1940s. The main characteristic of the SMB skarns is that they are dominantly oxidized tungsten skarns and several mines currently operate on a small scale in this part of northeastern Brazil producing tungsten concentrate.

Timothy Mann, P. Eng.,Vice President, Engineering of the Company and a Qualified Person under NI 43-101, has reviewed the scientific and technical information in this press release.

About Largo

Largo Resources Ltd. is a Canadian natural resource development and exploration company with two advanced stage projects: the Maracas Vanadium-PGM deposit in Brazil and the Northern Dancer Tungsten-Molybdenum deposit in the Yukon. The company is listed on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol LGO.

For the full release and details please see the Largo's website: www.largoresources.com

To view the map associated with this release, please visit the following link: http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/LGO1124.pdf

Technology Store, Inc. is acquired by EMC Metals Corp.

2009-11-24T22:04:00.001-08:00

November 24, 2009
EMC Announces Acquisition Of The Technology Store, Inc.

Vancouver, British Columbia - November 24, 2009 -- EMC Metals Corp. (TSX: EMC) is pleased to announce that it has entered into a stock purchase agreement (the "Agreement") with Willem and Irene Duyvesteyn (the "Sellers") dated November 19, 2009, whereby EMC has agreed to purchase all of the issued and outstanding capital stock of The Technology Store, Inc., a Nevada corporation, from the Sellers in exchange for 19,037,386 common shares of EMC.

Background of TTS

The Technology Store, Inc. ("TTS"), incorporated in 2000, specializes in the development of specialty metals extractive technologies, with emphasis on improving recoveries in the extraction of tungsten, boron, lithium, scandium, titanium, and nickel and a host of other emerging and unusual metals. The acquisition of TTS by EMC will provide EMC with access to certain assets used in connection with mining activity, as well as exclusive access to the extraction technologies. In addition TTS provides technical know-how which complements EMC's existing technical team, and also provides access to strategic acquisition or participation opportunities in resource projects targeting specialty metals, including boron, lithium and scandium.

Other assets of TTS include five nickel extraction licenses and 560 cubic feet of ion exchange resin prepared by Dow Chemical, which was acquired by TTS from BHP Billiton, having a current market value of over US$2 million. Ion exchange resin is used in the extraction of various specialty and rare metals, including nickel, tungsten, molybdenum, and vanadium. The resin would be available to EMC in connection with future production. In addition, TTS has the right to receive a US$2.5 million bonus payment in connection with a contract with a major US based oil company.

Three of TTS's current research projects that following the acquisition EMC will have exclusive access to are summarized below:

1. TTS has a proprietary technology to extract boron out of waste brines. The waste brines are created in the production of various minerals from brines. These brine layers occur in many parts of the world;

2. TTS is developing technology to extract scandium from primary scandium deposits and from nickel-scandium laterites. While the technology has not been fully defined, TTS has successfully extracted scandium from these deposits on a small scale using this technology; and

3. TTS has performed scoping tests on a titanium deposit with unsolved and unusual metallurgical challenges with encouraging results.

TTS is also in the process of preparing and filing patents related to an agreement with a major US based oil company for the extraction of bitumen from oil sands and for the cracking of heavy oil into lighter components. None of the patents related to oil or oil sands technologies will be retained by TTS, however as noted above, TTS's agreement includes potential future bonuses in the event certain commercial hurdles are met, namely breaking ground for construction of several commercial plants. These bonuses have a value of up to US$2.5 million and the right to these future potential bonuses would remain with TTS as a wholly owned subsidiary of EMC. TTS has the right to claim these bonuses up to 10 years after termination of this agreement, with the agreement set to expire on December 19, 2009.

TTS has a further 26 chemical and mineral commercial processing projects in various stages of development that may potentially be patented following additional laboratory and support work.

Information on Willem Duyvesteyn

Mr. Willem Duyvesteyn is the principal of TTS, and will on closing of the acquisition be appointed to the board of EMC. Mr. Duyvesteyn has 40 years experience in the mining, mineral and energy industries. He has been involved in the invention of 41 patents for various metallurgical extraction processes, and is the primary inventor on almost all of these patents. Prior to his involvement with TTS, Mr. Duyvesteyn was Vice President and General Manager of Minerals Technology with BHP Billiton for 10 years. Prior to his time with BHP Billiton, he was the Acting Dean of the Delft University of Technology School of Mines, and held positions with various mining and engineering companies. Mr. Duyvesteyn is a member of several technical organizations in the mining, processing and chemical fields, including AIME, CIM, IMM, AlChE and ACS. As a result of his technical knowledge and experience in the industry, Mr. Duyvesteyn has numerous business opportunities, technologies and business contacts which will benefit EMC.

"The acquisition of TTS provides EMC with exclusive access to extractive technologies that would give EMC a competitive advantage in connection with future production from our existing resource property interests, as well as in connection with the acquisition of new projects targeting scandium, boron and titanium", said Mr. Peter Bosse, President. "TTS, through Mr. Willem Duyvesteyn, also provides EMC with a unique opportunity to access advanced specialty metals properties for the purpose of diversifying our current property portfolio".

The Agreement

Pursuant to the terms of the Agreement, EMC will on closing acquire the shares of TTS by issuing 19,037,386 common shares of EMC, paying US$500,000 in cash to the Seller, and paying an amount of US$302,358 representing the U.S. federal income taxes payable by the Seller as a result of the issuance of the shares of EMC to the Seller. In addition, EMC will issue to the Seller a promissory note in the amount of $500,000 with a principal maturity of 2 years and accrued interest paid annually at bank prime interest rate in effect on the closing date. EMC's obligations under the promissory note and certain cash payments to the Seller will be secured by a pledge of all of the shares in the capital stock of EMC's subsidiaries in accordance with a stock pledge agreement and a security interest in all of EMC's assets in accordance with a security agreement.

In accordance with the terms of the Agreement, EMC will enter into a consulting agreement with Mr. Duyvesteyn, whereby EMC will grant to Mr. Duyvesteyn 200,000 stock options of EMC, to be issued in 4 equal instalments over 2 years. The options will be exercisable at a price equal to the volume-weighted average price of EMC's common shares listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange for the 10 trading days preceding the effective date of the consulting agreement, and will be exercisable for a period of 5 years.

EMC and the Seller will also enter into a voting agreement, whereby the Seller will be granted the right to elect one director when EMC has six or fewer directors, or two directors when EMC has seven or more directors.

The closing of the transaction is subject to approval by the Toronto Stock Exchange.

About EMC Metals Corp.

EMC Metals is a specialty metals company mandated to realize opportunity from the extraction and processing of specialty metals. EMC Metals also holds two major properties, the Carlin Vanadium project and the Springer Tungsten Mine and Mill. Originally constructed by the General Electric Company in 1980, the Springer project boasts a fully permitted and renovated 1,200 tpd mill facility. EMC Metals acquired Springer in 2006 and has spent approximately $38 million to date on its rehabilitation and expansion.

This press release does not constitute an offer of securities in the United States. The securities referenced herein have not been and will not be registered under any federal or state securities law of the United States, and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from registration requirements.

To see full details please click here

Chinese company develops a new use for Tungsten

2009-11-11T10:05:00.001-08:00

Tungsten as a Gold Substitute

By Mike Hewitt

In early 2008 it was reported that at least some of the gold bars in the vaults at the National Bank of Ethiopia were fake. The discovery was made when bars shipped from Ethiopia to South Africa were returned after they were identified as being gilded steel.

Gilded steel is a very unconvincing form of fake gold because the density of the iron alloy is significantly less. A steel bar identical in volume to the standard 400 troy ounce gold bars commonly used in bank-to-bank trades would weigh only 162.5 troy ounces (about sixty percent lighter). Anyone familiar with handling gold bars would easily identify them as fake.

Even lead, a common heavy metal, is a poor substitute as it is only 59% the density of gold. One of the things that historically made gold so attractive to be used as money was its unmistakable density.

Nowadays we know of several metals that have similar densities to gold, such as the heavier platinum-group metals. However, using these metals to produce fake gold is unprofitable due to their high cost.

There are two metals that are suitable, from both a density and economic perspective, for manufacturing fake gold - uranium and tungsten.

These metals aren't without their give-aways either. Different chemical and electro-magnetic properties exist. Uranium is of course radioactive. Tungsten is extremely brittle - the exact opposite of gold. Additionally, tungsten has the highest known melting point of any non-alloyed metal at 3422 degrees Celsius, making it difficult to work with. However, it appears that at least one high-temperature furnace is producing gilded tungsten products.

A Chinese company called Chinatungsten is advertising imitation gold merchandise on its website. The following quote is taken directly from their Tungsten Alloy for Gold Substitution page:

"a coin with a tungsten center and gold all around it could not be detected as counterfeit by density measurement alone ... We are well accustomed to exploit more innovative applications of tungsten products. Gold-plated tungsten is one of our main products."

This raises a few (somewhat rhetorical) questions. What kind of customer is this company looking to sell its imitation gold products to and for what purposes are they intended? Furthermore, what exactly are the "more innovative applications of tungsten products" that this company is hinting at?

Geodex Announces Unit Private Placement

2009-11-05T07:50:00.001-08:00

Geodex Minerals Ltd. ("Geodex") announces that it has engaged Vicarage Capital Limited ("VCL") of London, England as agent to assist in the private placement of up to 15 million units of Geodex (the "Units") at $0.15 per Unit. Each Unit will be comprised of one common share and one half warrant. Each full warrant is exercisable into one additional Geodex common share at $0.25 per share for a period of 24 months from closing. Proceeds from the private placement will be used to advance the pre-feasibility study for Geodex's Sisson Brook project and for general corporate purposes.

VCL will receive a cash commission of eight percent (8%) of the proceeds which it raises and broker's warrants equal to eight percent (8%) of the number of Units which it places. The broker's warrants will be exercisable for a period of 24 months at a price of $0.15 per share. All securities issued on the proposed private placement will be subject to a four month hold period. Not more than 20% of the private placement will be subscribed for by non-arm's length parties. The private placement is subject to TSX Venture Exchange approval. The private placement will not result in a change of control of Geodex.

For full details and a complete copy of this release please visit the company website

www.GoedexMinerals.com

Playfair appoints Rare Earth expert to the Board of Directors

2009-11-04T10:11:00.001-08:00

Playfair Mining is pleased to announce the appointment of Michael Moore as a Director of Playfair. Mr. Moore's career in mineral exploration and development has spanned more than 20 years and he has been involved in exploration programs in North America, South America and Africa. Mr. Moore has extensive experience in precious, base and industrial metal exploration and has significant contacts in the mining industry throughout the world. He is a professional geologist registered with APEGBC and a graduate of Carleton University in Ottawa Canada. Mr. Moore is also a director and advisor to several public mining exploration companies.

The significance of this appointment is that Mr. Moore is very familiar with Rare Earth Element mineralization having worked Rare Earth projects in the past. Having his expertise as Playfair moves to become a significant player in the Rare Earth sector will be a valuable asset.

Despite current world economic instability, Playfair's management continues to be bullish on the long term prospects of both tungsten and Rare Earth Element prices. Playfair's recent acquisition of the Joy Rare Earth Element property in south central Labrador has strengthened and diversified Playfair's portfolio of strategic metal assets. Playfair is continuing to seek out new strategic metal projects to add to its exploration property portfolio.

Strategic metals are a group of metals including Tungsten, Rare Earths and other metals deemed to be imperative in the manufacture of certain vital products, such as motors & batteries in hybrid cars, consumer electronics, miscellaneous green energy technologies and military applications. In general, strategic metals have no practical substitute and with China controlling about 85% of the world Tungsten market and 95% of the world Rare Earth market, supply issues are a real concern. With China's recent moves to restrict, and in some cases ban the export of strategic metals, the rest of the world is moving to secure future supply of these crucial metals.

See the full details on the release by Visiting the companies website.

www.playfairmining.com

Mr. Kenneth (Ken) W. Collison Appointment Of New Director of NTC

2009-11-02T21:00:00.001-08:00

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA - North American Tungsten Corporation Ltd. (TSX: "NTC" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Kenneth (Ken) W. Collison as a Director of the Company effective immediately.

Mr. Collison recently retired as COO of Thompson Creek Metals Company ("Thompson Creek") where he was instrumental in helping to build one of the World's largest Molybdenum Mining Companies from 2005 to 2009.

Prior to his position with Thompson Creek, Mr. Collison was Vice President and General Manager of Coeur d'Alene Mines Corp. from 1996 to 2000, responsible for all areas of the development of the 200,000 ounce per year Kensington Gold Mine. After receiving his B.Sc. in Mining Engineering and his Masters of Engineering in Mining from the University of Saskatchewan, Mr. Collison held management positions at several projects before joining Crandon Mining Corporation, a Rio Algom/Exxon Coal minerals partnership in 1994 as Vice President.

The Company welcomes Mr. Collison and his extensive mining background to the Board.

To View the Full release see the companies web Site North American Tungsten

GEODEX REPORTS ENCOURAGING EXPLORATION RESULTS ON ITS FLUME RIDGE TUNGSTEN PROPERTY IN NEW BRUNSWICK-DRILL PROGRAM UNDERWAY

2009-10-30T13:59:00.001-07:00

Geodex Minerals Ltd. has begun a diamond drilling program on its Flume Ridge tungsten property in southwestern New Brunswick. Geodex's business plan remains focused on advancing its flagship Sisson Brook tungsten-molybdenum project toward production while maintaining an aggressive portfolio of prospective exploration properties in New Brunswick. Flume Ridge is part of a group of properties in addition to Sisson Brook with potential for granite-related deposits of tungsten, molybdenum, tin and related metals.

The Flume Ridge property, comprising 121 claims, is located immediately west of the company's Mount Pleasant West project, and approximately 20 kilometres west of the formerly producing Mount Pleasant tungsten-molybdenum mine, owned by Adex Mining Inc. Geodex can earn a 90-per-cent interest in the property by way of an April, 2009, option agreement with two New Brunswick companies (see the Geodex news release dated April 21, 2009, in Stockwatch).

Claims were originally staked at Flume Ridge to cover an area of government tungsten soil and stream sediment anomalies, as well as scheelite-bearing float discoveries. Geodex's initial 2009 exploration included a soil survey followed by a basal till sampling program which outlined a tungsten anomaly approximately 2,500 metres by 2,000 metres in area, as well as scattered anomalous tin values. The soil anomaly has a strong correlation with an isolated magnetic high identified by a government airborne survey and confirmed by a Geodex ground survey.

Four shallow trenches, spaced over a distance of approximately 200 metres, were dug to expose bedrock within the soil anomaly. Trench mapping shows that scheelite mineralization is found in all trenches and is controlled mainly by two sets of near-vertical, crosscutting quartz veins. The veins are hosted by metasedimentary rocks displaying strong silicification and pyrrhotite mineralization.

As a result of the encouraging results in the 2009 exploration program at Flume Ridge, Geodex has begun a Stage 1 six-hole drill program of 600 metres to test the tungsten-tin soil anomaly. It is anticipated that the drilling program will be completed in early November with assay results available in December, 2009.

Neil Humphreys, MSc, PGeo, Geodex's chief geologist, is a qualified person under NI 43-101 and is responsible for the design and conduct of the programs carried out by the company on the Sisson Brook project. Mr. Humphreys has reviewed this release and approves its content.

The Full Release can be viewed on the company website
Geodex News Release Oct-30-09

Back in April when Geodex acquired this ground there was a Video released that explained the key points about the property. Since April some things have changed such as, Mr Anderson is no longer with Geodex. As well the date for the Sisson brook prefeasibility study has also changed. Please call the company Geodex Minerals Ltd directly for a current update 604-689-7771

Hazelwood Resources considers Big Hill downstream processing

2009-10-04T09:44:00.001-07:00

2 October 2009

HAZELWOOD Resources says it will consider the downstream processing options at the proposed Big Hill development in Western Australia.

The group is conducting a pre-feasibility study into a proposed mining and processing operation with an annual production capacity of about 200,000 metric tonne units of tungsten concentrate.

The company made the decision to look in to mineral processing options following consultation with tungsten industry participants who indicated that looking at the merits of producing tungsten intermediate products was the way to go.

According to Hazelwood, it has become evident that the depth in the market for intermediate products such as ammonium paratungstate (APT) presents a better opportunity than raw concentrate alone. Consequently, the Big Hill pre-feasibility will now incorporate APT into the potential Big Hill product mix.

H.C. Starck Canada announced expansion will move forward to accommodate increased tungsten production

2009-09-09T06:59:00.001-07:00

Written by CATHY DOBSON Source - The Observer

A glimmer of hope that the economy may be improving was offered up by H.C. Starck Canada Tuesday when officials announced an expansion will move forward.

Construction started in 2008 on a new building to accommodate increased tungsten production but no equipment was installed, said facility manager Carol Gilmurray.

Instead, the multi-million-dollar expansion plan was abandoned in March because economic indicators were so discouraging, she said.

At the time, the decline in the North American tungsten powder market put the project on ice, she said.

"But now we see some small signals, they call them small, green shoots, that give us hope that a recovery is on its way.

"We want to be ready when it arrives," Gilmurray said.

Tungsten carbide is used to make drill bits.

This is the first major expansion for H.C. Starck Canada, which was established in 1996 and has a staff of more than 30 people working at its Vidal Street plant.

It's possible that additional technical staff will be needed once the new building is outfitted and production begins.

Russian workers in a tungsten fabrication plant in the Primorye region staged a hunger strike

2009-09-06T18:53:00.001-07:00

By KARINA IOFFEE - Source Associated Press

YASNOGORSK, RUSSIA — Three decades ago, the Yasnogorsk Machine-Building Factory stamped out thousands of pounds of steel and iron into parts for wagons, pumps and locomotives for Russia's mining industry.

Now two-thirds of its stamping and welding machines have been shut down. The old Soviet-era equipment is rusting, and fewer than 280 employees clock in every day — from a peak of 7,000. The factory that kept this town alive since the days of the czar is on its last breath, the victim of a global recession that has shaken Russia to the core.

Yasnogorsk is one of about 500 communities across Russia built around a single company, whose very existence hangs by a delicate thread. The challenges such "monocities" face are compounded by the legacy of the Soviet era, as well as deep-rooted Russian traditions that make it hard to start over somewhere else.

"What's happening in our town is not capitalism," said Alexander Gorbachev, a 59-year-old mechanic previously employed at the factory, who now works at a small machine shop.

To help keep food on the table, Gorbachev (unrelated to the former Soviet leader) does what millions of Russians did during earlier times of trouble: He grows his own potatoes, beets and other vegetables and sells the rest at the market. "It's like we're in medieval times again."

Russia's unemployment has risen to 8.3 percent, and industrial output declined by more than 14 percent in the first seven months of the year compared with 2008.

In Gus Khrustalny, 100 miles north of Moscow, workers at the local decorative glass factory were paid with the crystal vases they made because the company had no money.

In April, workers in a tungsten fabrication plant in the Primorye region staged a hunger strike after they weren't paid for months. And in Yasnogorsk, factory employees estimate they are collectively owed about 6 million rubles ($200,000) in back wages.

These towns all saw their peak in the Soviet era, when a few plants would produce, say, all the Soviet Union's tires. The whole system lurched along guided by a massive bureaucracy of central planners rather than market forces.

But in 1991, after 70 years of Soviet rule, the huge, clanking structure collapsed. Some factories simply closed their doors. Others were purchased for a pittance by a generation of future young billionaires, now called oligarchs, who milked them for profits rather than investing in them.

"We've seen that all those factories that were privatized eventually went bankrupt," said Nikolai Medvedev, 55, who has worked at the Yasnogorsk plant for more than 30 years, sharpening metal parts. "The management is bad, because the owners who buy the factories don't really care about Russia. Their souls are in the West."

Many Russian industries have benefited from the privatizations, with more efficient companies that offer employees competitive wages. But others have been unprofitable for decades and are still simply limping along.

In Yasnogorsk, the factory opened in 1895 and expanded over the years in this town of 18,000 people. Along with jobs, the factory provided social services — everything from medical treatment and child care to family holidays at a local resort.

In 1991, factory owners gradually cut back on these services. In the past six years, the factory has changed owners at least twice, and recently went bankrupt for the second time.

Now children sit at home, alone, and parents worry they will turn to drugs or petty crime. Doctors and other professionals have fled the town, so residents are forced to travel close to an hour to see a pediatrician or an optometrist.

The park in the center of town, with its once-proud Romanesque Palace of Culture, is a seedy wasteland, its cultural center in shambles, its fountains broken and trash and bottles littering the paths.

Residents say their town is slowly dying.

"There is no future for my kids here," said Sergei Ovsyanikov, a father of two and a plumber at the factory. "They will probably have to leave once they grow up."

Ovsyanikov knows it's only a matter of time before his own job is eliminated.

He could take part in government retraining programs or look for work in Tula, a medium-sized city 40 minutes away by train. Some of his laid-off co-workers already commute daily to Moscow, three hours each way. Although he is only 35, he says he is too old and too tired to retrain, relocate or make a long journey to work every day.

"It's just too hard," he said. "If I get fired, then I'll do what I have to do. Now I'm just waiting."

Nikolai Petrov, an expert on regional issues at the Carnegie Moscow Center, said being unemployed is different for workers in Russia than in many other industrialized nations.

"In Western Europe, if you lose your job, you just move somewhere else, but in Russia that's not an option for most people," he said.

Many people who moved to Siberia and the Far East during the Soviet era, when they were paid premium wages, found themselves unable to return west to what is sometimes called "mainland" Russia after the Soviet collapse.

"Just selling your apartment in a town that is economically depressed is impossible. And even if you do manage to sell it, the money you receive is not enough to buy housing in a larger city where there might be work," Petrov said.

Economists say some monocities would be in better shape if Russia had made the massive investment needed to phase out antiquated industries and create a modern capitalist economy. Too much of Russian industry, some say, is still state-owned and managed.

Yevgeny Yasin, a former economics minister and director of the New Economics School in Moscow, said Russia's government uses protectionist and other measures to keep a strong grip on the country's privately owned industries. Company managers, he said, haven't learned how to survive in the open market. "The social mechanism must change," he said.

Management at the Yasnogorsk Machine-Building Factory, which took over from previous owners just three years ago, said it is trying hard to attract new business, even taking orders it would have rejected in the past.

"The crisis dictates its own rules," Nikolai Dupak, general director of the factory, said in a written statement. "We had big plans to diversify our production, but we didn't have time to realize them...But we have a commitment to our workers and it's our goal to make sure they get paid all they are due."

Besides the drop in orders, the factory was slapped with a fine of almost $2 million from the regional government for what Dupak called a "bookkeeping error," which Yasnogorsk Machine-Building has not been able to pay. Officials from the region did not answer repeated requests for comment.

The federal government has helped industries limp along, with subsidies and tariffs. But many workers want Moscow to do more.

Several in Yasnogorsk said they hope Prime Minister Vladimir Putin will drop in on them, like he did on another small, economically depressed town near St. Petersburg in June. There, Putin reprimanded the owner of one shuttered factory for poor management and ordered him to sign an agreement to pay back wages.

In the meantime, patience is wearing out.

"I pay my taxes and do everything I'm supposed to," said an exasperated Ovsanikov. "But I don't feel like life is getting any better. In fact, it's getting much worse."

Geodex Minerals Moves One Step Closer To A Prefeasibility Study On The Sisson Brook Tungsten-Moly Project In New Brunswick

2009-09-04T08:58:00.001-07:00

By Alastair Ford

Autumn, as the Brits have it, or fall, as they say in Canada, looks like being an interesting time for tungsten development company Geodex Minerals. Over the summer Geodex completed a further round of drilling at its Sisson Brook tungsten-molybdenum project in New Brunswick. This consisted of 4,900 metres drilled out in 28 holes, and was designed to bring much of the inferred material at Sisson Brook into the measured and indicated categories. The results from that drilling will hit the market in the coming months, and if they live up to the company's expectations they'll be part of the basis for a prefeasibility study on Sisson Brook. A resource upgrade is due out in October.

After that the next step, says new chief executive Mark Fields, will be to raise the money for that study. This, he estimates, will cost in the region of C$1.7 million. As far as raising the necessary funds to get started goes, Mark explains that there have been some preliminary discussions, but says that the work in earnest will begin after the Labor Day holiday is over. That's when the Canadians really go back to work after the summer, ready for the fall trading season.

One issue that Mark and the markets will have to address is the company's share price. At C$0.115 per share Geodex is trading a long way off the C$0.40 level it was at a year ago. There's been some evidence of the recovery that many of the world's mining juniors have enjoyed this year, in that the company's shares are now the better part of 50 per cent up on the 52 week low of C$0.075 that they hit at the nadir. Still, tungsten can be a hard sell, even in the face of strong demand from steadily increasing Chinese and global infrastructure spend, and Geodex is some way from production yet. That it'll need a further C$15 million or so after the prefeasibility is completed for the full feasibility, and a further US$341 million to build the project also goes some way towards explaining a certain level of scepticism. The company's market capitalisation is only just north of C$10 million.

But Mark Fields knows all this. He's run development stage assets before, and successfully too. He wouldn't, he says, have joined Geodex, if he didn't believe in the story. He's had plenty of time to check it out, given that he's had long acquaintance with founders Jack Maris and Jack Marr, and that he's been a shareholder for some time too. The release of the company's preliminary economic assessment for Sisson Brook (otherwise known as a scoping study), does, he says, confirm the company's transition from an exploration company to a development stage company. With that in mind, he adds that it's unlikely that the release of any of Geodex's individual drill results this fall will move the company's shares. With over 46,000 metres of drilling now completed, those days are gone. But a positive move towards a prefeasibility study, on the basis of a strong resource upgrade would be another matter. That might be enough to shift Geodex's shares high enough for it to be willing to bear the pain of further dilution without too much complaint.

With the recent unfreezing of the capital markets, the ongoing health of the Chinese economy and the ratcheting up of US infrastructure spend, there's certainly plenty to whet the appetites of investors. The tungsten price is weaker now than it was a year ago, but, like Geodex, it's off its lows. And in the preliminary economic assessment Geodex demonstrated that it had 91 million tonnes at a grade of 0.125% WO3 equivalent in the measured and indicated categories. And, if this month's drilling delivers, there ought to be more to add to that.

Looking further ahead, at the moment the plan is for Geodex to bring in a partner on its own terms, when the funding requirements start to get more onerous. Such a partner would likely be an end-user of tungsten rather than a fellow miner - one looking to secure supply. "We've had some pretty close discussions with potential off-take users", says Mark. But Geodex won't rush into such a commitment until it's got all its ducks in a row. And once the autumn/fall is over, we'll know a lot more about how things stack up.

Source Minesite

Tiberon's Tungsten mining license may be revoked

2009-09-02T15:29:00.001-07:00

Vietnam will probably revoke the license for a Tiberon Minerals Ltd. mining project, which may hold one of the world's largest tungsten deposits outside China, because of delays, the government said Tuesday.

Vietnam's Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has instructed the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and the government in the northern Thai Nguyen province, where the mine is located, to examine the US$147 million Nuiphaovica project and "terminate its investment and mining licenses if any violations are found," according to a statement on the cabinet's website.

"We haven't received any official announcement from the Vietnamese government and so we have no comment for now," Phan Minh Tuan, a director at Ho Chi Minh City-based Dragon Capital Group, which runs a fund that bought Tiberon in 2007, said by telephone from Hanoi Tuesday.

Tuan, who is also the chairman of the Nuiphaovica venture that developed the mine, estimates the total cost of the project at $400 million.

Tungsten, used in light-bulb filaments and to strengthen steel, may advance to near a record in 2013 as China, the world's biggest producer, is expected to restrict exports to conserve domestic supplies as the country's market faces a deficit, the CRU Group said last week.

Demand from China

Chinese demand will climb 8.1 percent a year from 2009 to 2013, outpacing a 2.7 percent average annual gain in domestic mine production, the London-based commodity research and advisory group said.

Spot prices of the metal have declined 33 percent since reaching a peak of $295 a metric ton unit, or 10 kilograms, in 2005. The spot price in Europe was $197.50 on August 28. Markets were closed Monday.

Toronto-based Tiberon, which got permission to start developing the Vietnam mine in 2004, in October asked the local government to delay starting production until 2010 because of the global financial crisis, Vietnam Investment Review newspaper reported Monday. Tiberon has a 70 percent stake in the mine.

"We informally told Tiberon last week about the possibility of terminating the project and withdrawing its license," Nguyen Duc Minh, head of Thai Nguyen province's Department for Planning and Investment said by telephone Tuesday. "There's no clear plan yet as to how the project will continue, however the prime minister may want to give it to a big state- owned company," he said.

Tiberon in September 2006 said it planned to start production this year. The mine was expected to yield 4,788 metric tons of tungsten, 222,458 tons of fluorspar and 2,038 tons of bismuth a year, according to the company.

Source Bloomberg

North American Tungsten reports a net loss of $0.8 million for the third quarter 2009

2009-08-26T11:29:00.001-07:00

HIGHLIGHTS:

CanTung Mine production up 13% to 83,430 metric tonne units (mtu's) over Q3 2008 (73,893 mtu's).
Updated Cantung Probable Mineral Reserve as of July 1, 2009 is estimated at 1.02 million tons grading 1.08% WO3.
Gross operating margin of $0.91 million in Q3 2009 compared to $0.96 million in Q3 2008.
Net loss (after gain on disposal of mineral property interest) of $0.8 million in Q3 2009 compared to a net loss of $1.3 million in Q3 2008.

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA: North American Tungsten Corporation Ltd. (or "the Company") (NTC: TSX-V) today announced its results for the three and nine months ended June 30, 2009, (the "Third Quarter" or "Q3" -- refer to the three month period ended June 30, 2009) including the results of operations at its Cantung tungsten mine in the Northwest Territories.

For the Third Quarter, the Company reports a net loss of $0.8 million after a gain on disposal of a mineral property interest of $1.0 million; by way of comparison, in Q3 of Fiscal 2008, the Company registered a net loss of $1.3 million. Sales revenues in Q3 were $15.0 million from 64,623 mtu's of concentrates and 9,026 mtu's of tungsten blue oxide ("TBO") and ammonium paratungstate ("APT") compared to $15.4 million in Q3 of Fiscal 2008 from sales of 65,140 mtu's of concentrates and 7,330 mtu's of TBO and APT. The gross operating margin remained stable at $0.91 million in Q3 2009 compared to $0.96 million in Q3 2008.

For details and the full release click here

Anchor Resources reported hitting broad intervals of antimony-gold-tungsten

2009-08-24T08:44:00.001-07:00

Anchor Resources has reported additional broad intervals of antimony-gold-tungsten mineralisation were encountered and their drilling demonstrated excellent continuity of the Wild Cattle Creek deposit.Results are still pending from final four holes.

More about the company Click Here

Anchor Board - G Craighead (Exec Director), G Fallon (Non Exec Director) and T Woolfe (Managing Director)

Hazelwoods 100% owned Cookes Creek Tungsten Project shows positive to start producing 2-3% of the world’s primary tungsten.

2009-08-23T20:26:00.001-07:00

Final Assays Show Size and Grade - Updated Resource Model Imminent

All assays have been received from the recent in-fill drilling program at the Big Hill Tungsten Deposit.
Data have been integrated into a revised geological model and handed over to an external consultant
for an independent Mineral Resource update, which is expected to increase the category (that is,
confidence) of the Mineral Resource significantly.
The in-fill drilling within the known resource at Big Hill has intersected both large widths of scheelite
mineralisation that is considered amenable to bulk-mining and processing and narrower zones of high
grade material. Amongst the new results (refer Table 1);

92 metres @ 0.12% WO3 from 125 to 217 metres in hole 08BHRD055
20 metres @ 1.62% WO3 from 62 to 82 metres in hole 09BHD010
13 metres @ 0.25 WO3 from 115 to 128 metres in hole 09BHD005
17 metres @ 0.33% WO3 from 84 to 101 metres in hole 09BHD009
Includes 1m @ 2.66% WO3 from 91 to 92 metres
2 metres @ 1.30% WO3 from 16 to 18 metres in hole 09BHD006
1 metre @ 1.61% WO3 from 90 to 91 metres also in hole 09BHD006
1 metre @ 1.46% WO3 from 244 to 245 metres in hole 08BHRD056
10 metres @ 0.21% WO3 from 114 to 124 metres in hole 09BHD003

The current project concept is a bulk mining and processing operation that exploits the entire width of
the mineralised sequence, however there is evidence of higher grade tungsten zones within the Big Hill
Tungsten Deposit. Most of the existing Mineral Resource is within 100 metres of surface and many of
these higher grade zones can readily be accessed via open pit mining.
The Big Hill Tungsten Deposit has progressively been de-risked through intensive evaluation. The area
that comprises the Resource has been tested by more than 160 drillholes in a close-spaced pattern.
Only one third of the strike extent of the mineralised sequence has been resource drilled, and there are
also high grade tungsten exploration drilling results at the nearby McLeods Shear Zone.
Hazelwood looks forward to putting its 100% owned Cookes Creek Tungsten Project back into
production, producing 2-3% of the world's primary tungsten.

See full details Click Here

28 feet of 0.18% WO3 - "Tungsten" intercepted by Sultan Minerals

2009-08-20T09:31:00.001-07:00

Sultan Minerals Inc. (SUL-TSX-Venture) ("Sultan") is pleased to announce results from the first 6 diamond drill holes on its Jersey-Emerald Property in the Salmo area of British Columbia. Results of this drilling include significant tungsten mineralization, including 28 feet of 0.18% WO₃ and 6 feet of 0.39% WO₃. Drilling was initiated in June with a surface drill to investigate several new tungsten, zinc and molybdenum targets discovered in 2008 (see NR of June 23, 2009).

Two new target areas of the property were investigated by drilling. Two drill holes were completed approximately 1 kilometre east of the historic Jersey-Emerald mine, where preliminary results of regional airborne surveys indicate strong magnetic and conductive rocks are present. Four drill holes were completed approximately 1.5 kilometres south of the historic mine area (near Lost Creek) to test for the extension of tungsten mineralization discovered during a surface sampling program in 2008.

Preliminary results returned from sampling of drill core indicate significant tungsten mineralization existing in zones well away from the historic Jersey-Emerald mine area. In particular, the Lost Creek drilling (LC0901 through LC0903) returned elevated tungsten values from all 3 drill holes. Hole LC0902 returned the highest value for WO₃, with 0.18% over 28 ft including 0.39% over 6 feet.

Drill Hole	Grid North	Grid East	Azmth/Dip	From (Feet)	To (Feet)	Width (Feet)	WO₃ (%)
LC09-01	5437111	484583	302	112.00	188.00	76.00	0.12
Incl.				138.00	148.00	10.00	0.22
LC09-02	5437111	484583	302	167.00	195.00	28.00	0.18
Incl.				182.00	188.00	6.00	0.39
LC09-03	5437090	484559	300	127.00	174.00	47.00	0.10
Incl.				137.00	162.00	25.00	0.16
Incl.				147.00	152.00	5.00	0.20

Drill site preparation is currently underway for the recently acquired Victory Tungsten deposit, approximately 3 kilometres north of the historic Jersey-Emerald mine area. This drilling will verify the presence of tungsten mineralization reported by previous operators during exploration in the 1960's and 1970's. A zone of high grade tungsten mineralization, including 84,000 tons of 0.54% WO₃, was outlined by the historic drilling.

A study of the potential for lead-zinc-silver remnant mineralization within and adjacent to the historic Jersey mine has been undertaken. It is expected that a preliminary resource estimate can be obtained from information provided by the large database accumulated by Sultan that summarizes historic and recent drilling. Several zones of remnant lead-zinc mineralization were observed in preliminary viewing of the 3-Diminsional models created by Sultan. As well, drill testing completed by Sultan in 2007 intersected widespread zinc mineralization marginal to the historic workings, suggesting that important zinc mineralization may extend to the east, west and south of the former mine. The Jersey Emerald was British Columbia's second largest lead-zinc mine. Giroux Consultants Ltd. has been contracted to provide the preliminary resource estimate.

For full details see the source at www.sultanminerals.com.

Map of the Area
Click to Enlarge

North American Tungsten improves mine life at Cantung with upgraded 43-101

2009-08-18T18:49:00.001-07:00

North American Tungsten Corporation Ltd. ("NATCL", "the Company") is pleased to announce the updating of the Cantung Mine's mineral reserves as of July 1, 2009.

The Mine
The Cantung Mine is a primary producer of tungsten concentrate from underground mining operations.

Currently, the major features and facilities associated with Cantung are as follows:

The Cantung deposits, consisting of the Open Pit resource near surface, and the E Zone reserve, underground.
The physical plant site including an underground mine, a small open pit, process plant, diesel power plant, workshops, warehouses, administration buildings, a town site and single status accommodation, and an airstrip.
Waste rock dumps and a tailings storage facility.

The updated Mineral Reserves are summarized in Table 1-1.

Zone	Tons	Grade (WO3 %)	STU'S
West Extension	95,666	1.08	103,271
West Extension Below 3700 elv.	271,451	1.07	291,340
West Extension Below 3570 elv.	148,187	1.11	164,146
E-Zone	23,967	1.09	26,023
Main Zone Pillars	376,554	1.06	400,460
Central Flats	22,750	0.87	19,775
South Flats	45,287	1.33	60,444
PUG	30,390	1.17	35,536
Stockpile	6,447	0.73	4,706
TOTAL Probable Reserves	1,020,699	1.08	1,105,602

Notes:

Mineral Reserves conform to CIM and NI43-101 requirements.
All Mineral Reserves are classified as Probable.
Mineral Reserves are estimated at a cutoff grade of 0.80% WO3.
A minimum mining width of 15 feet was used.

NATCL notes that some mining zone nomenclature may cause confusion for those unfamiliar with the Cantung deposits. The E-Zone refers both to the entire underground orebody, and also to the few remaining stopes that do not fit into a subzone category such as Main, South Flats, or West Extension.

The reserve estimate is based on NATCL's forecast of a long-term base case G1 price scenario of US$205/MTU; an operating cost of $152.22 per ton milled and a cut off grade of 0.80% WO3 for the life of mine. The Mine has operated successfully in the past, however, it should be noted that it is a relatively high cost producer, and has experienced previous shutdowns during periods of low tungsten prices. In NATCL's opinion, the key risk to mine profitability lies in tungsten price sustainability and mined grades over the remaining mine life.

The Cantung Mine produces ore at a rate of 1,100 stpd. Mineral Reserves support a mine life of 2.5 years. Primary mining methods included, cut and fill and longhole stoping with and without delayed backfill, and pillar-remnant ore recovery using different techniques. Currently, longhole methods are planned for the majority of the remaining reserves, both for pillar recovery and for primary mining in areas with favourable geometry.

Processing is carried out by gravity and flotation circuits. Final products include a premium gravity concentrate (G1), containing 65% WO3 and a flotation concentrate containing 47% WO3.

Production and Exploration
When production is taken into account, Mineral Reserves have increased significantly since the previous reserve estimate in 2008. A significant portion of the increase in the reserves is a result of exploration and definition diamond drilling, as well as data mining (i.e. 3D modeling of the ore body and previously thought to be mined out openings).

There are Mineral Resources in the Open Pit/PUG Zone that could potentially be mined. Past open pit and PUG designs proposed production in the order of more than one year of mill feed.

As long as development and stope preparation continues in a timely manner, longhole mining should provide steady production at a lower cost than cut and fill mining. Longhole pillar mining carries a risk of lower grades from higher dilution; however, life of mine plan production estimates carry a reasonable and appropriate allowance for expected dilution.

The Company has announced a temporary suspension of production at its CanTung tungsten mine in the Northwest Territories, effective October 15, 2009 due to increased product inventory and declining tungsten prices. The mine will be placed on a care and maintenance program that will enable a timely and cost effective return to production when market conditions improve. (See News Release dated June 29, 2009)

MINERAL RESOURCE ESTIMATES
Mineral Resources for the Cantung Mine, as of July 1, 2009, are listed below in Table 1-2.

TABLE 1-2 CANTUNG INDICATED MINERAL RESOURCES

Zone	Tons	Grade (WO3 %)	STU'S
West Extension	132,597	1.20	158,537
West Extension Below 3700 elv.	379,763	1.38	524,473
E-Zone	24,183	1.97	47,738
Main Zone Pillars	414,090	1.26	520,691
Central Flats	29,023	1.07	31,183
South Flats	40,255	1.64	66,154
PUG	479,118	1.17	562,857
Stockpile	6,447	0.73	4,706
TOTAL Indicated Resources	1,505,476	1.27	1,916,339

Notes:

Mineral Resources conform to CIM and NI43-101 requirements.
Mineral Resources are estimated at a cutoff grade of 0.8% WO3 for underground as well as Pit and Pug
All Mineral Resources are listed as INDICATED

Mineral Resources are inclusive of Mineral Reserves; excess resources may at some time in the future become reserves, however, at present they cannot be included in the estimate of Mineral Reserves. The Mineral Reserves include material for which there is a mining plan, and at least a conceptual design. Mineral Reserves for the Cantung Mine, as of July 1, 2009, are summarized in Table 1-1 above.

QUALIFIED PERSON
Robert D. Baldwin, P. Eng., the Company's Senior Mining Engineer and Finley J. Bakker, P. Geo., the Company's Chief Geologist both qualified persons as defined by NI 43-101 have reviewed and approved the technical disclosure of the reserves and resources contained in the news release.

ABOUT NORTH AMERICAN TUNGSTEN CORPORATION LTD
The Company is a publicly listed Tier 1 Junior Resource Company engaged primarily in the operation, development, and acquisition of tungsten and other related mineral properties in Canada. The Company's 100% owned Cantung mine and Mactung development project make it one of the few tungsten producers with a strategic asset in the western world. Mactung is one of the world's largest known undeveloped high grade tungsten-skarn deposits.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Stephen M. Leahy
Chairman & CEO

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term as defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Cautionary Note

Safe Harbour Statement under the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and similar Canadian legislation: Except for the statements of historical fact contained herein, the information presented contains "Forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and similar Canadian legislation. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects," "budget," "scheduled," "estimates," "forecasts," "intends," "anticipates," "believes," or variation of such words and phrases that refer to certain actions, events or results to be taken, and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of North American Tungsten Corporation Ltd. To be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, among others, the actual results of reclamation activities, the estimation or realization of mineral reserves and resources, the timing and amount of estimated future production, costs of production, capital expenditures, future prices of commodities, possible variations in ore grade or recovery rates, efficacy and efficiency of milling process, failure of plant, equipments or processes to operate as anticipated, accidents, labour disputes and other risks in the mining industry. Although North American Tungsten Corporation Ltd. has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements contained herein and in North American Tungsten Corporation Ltd.'s other filing incorporated by reference.

Cautionary Note to United States Investors Concerning Estimates of Measured, Indicated and Inferred Resources: This press release may use the terms "Measured," "indicated" and "inferred" Resources. United States investors are advised that while such terms are recognized and required by Canadian regulators, the United States Securities and Exchange Commission does not recognize them. "Inferred Mineral Resources" have a great amount of uncertainty as to their existence and as to their economic and legal feasibility. It cannot be assumed that all or any part of an Inferred Mineral Resource will ever be upgraded to a higher category. Under Canadian rules, estimates of Inferred Mineral Resources may not form the basis of feasibility or other economic studies. United States investors are cautioned not to assume that all or any part of Measured or Indicated Mineral Resources will ever be converted into Mineral Reserves. United States investors are also cautioned not to assume that all or any part of an Inferred Mineral Resource exists, or is economically or legally mineable.

New Crest hopes to start mining 170,000 tonnes of Tungsten in next few years = 6% of worlds known Tungsten resources

2009-08-17T09:53:00.001-07:00

GOLDMINER Newcrest has delivered a better than expected full-year profit as a $30 million insurance payment cut damages costs from the Varanus Island gas explosion off the West Australian coast last year.

The Melbourne-based company, which is the third-biggest Australian miner after BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto, said underlying full-year profit came in at $483.1 million.

That was a 2 per cent drop from the previous year, due to increased costs, but was $10m to $20m higher than expectations.

Newcrest said costs from the explosion at Varanus Island, which supplies gas to its Telfer goldmine, would only be $8.6m after an insurance payout eased the $38.6m cost of paying for replacement gas and diesel power. Reportable profit hit a record $248m, up 85 per cent following Newcrest's close-out of its gold hedge, which limited accounting losses.

The company also surprised with a 15c a share dividend, which most analysts had not expected.

Managing director Ian Smith said the company's gearing fell from 8 per cent to 2 per cent, largely due to equity raisings earlier this year, and the miner was in a position to make acquisitions if they arose.

The company had looked at a number of acquisitions and signed a number of confidentiality agreements, he said, but nothing was in the pipeline.

Newcrest has two teams working on potential acquisitions -- one that looks at early stage projects in which Newcrest could take control of exploration, and another to look at more mature projects.

The company's strategy with more mature projects is to get involved if it can see opportunities that had not previously been understood.

"We haven't found anything that stacks up," Mr Smith said yesterday. At the same time, Newcrest released the maiden resource for its O'Callaghans tungsten deposit, about 10km from the big Telfer gold mine in Western Australia's Pilbara.

The deposit, where Newcrest hopes to start mining in two to three years, contains inferred resources of 170,000 tonnes of tungsten, 160,000 tonnes of copper, 460,000 tonnes of zinc and 230,000 tonnes of lead.

Mr Smith said there had been a lot of interest in the deposit, which contained up to 6 per cent of the world's known tungsten resources. The company is looking at selling the deposit and will work out a mine plan, and whether to sell, over the next 12 months. Even if the deposit is sold, it is likely the ore will be processed at the Telfer mill, which could result in a fall in gold production.

Newcrest restated 2010 production guidance of 1.81 to 1.91 million ounces of gold and 83,000 to 87,000 tonnes of copper.

Revenue increased from $2.36billion to $2.53bn, boosted by an increase in the gold price.

The company sliced labour costs by 8.8 per cent to $85.4m in the second half.

Total gold reserves rose 7 per cent year on year to 42.8 million ounces and copper reserves increased 13 per cent to 4.67 million tons. Newcrest shares rose 50c to $29.65 yesterday.

Source See www.TheAustralian.news.com.au

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High tungsten reading causes Hazelwood Resources to soar

2009-08-14T08:36:00.001-07:00

MINING junior Hazelwood Resources says exploration drilling has indicated a high quality tungsten resource at one of its projects. Tungsten is the hardest element on the periodic table apart from carbon and also has a high melting point, so it's used in cutting and drilling tools and for high-temperature applications like light bulbs, heating elements and rocket engines.

Shares in Perth-based Hazelwood rocketed as much as 91 per cent and by late afternoon were up 61 per cent, or 7 cents, at 18.5c, after it said exploration drilling at its Cookes Creek project in Western Australia indicated a "massive" tungsten mineralisation.

One drill hole found a 13 metre interval with a 2.42 per cent grade of tungsten oxide and, in the same hole, there was a 26.48 per cent grade over a one metre interval.

"That is one of the highest readings that anyone has ever recorded for a tungsten exploration program," Hazelwood executive chairman Mark McAuliffe said, adding that a grade of 2-3 per cent was traditionally considered to represent a high quality resource.

More than 52 drillholes have intersected zones with tungsten oxide grades over 1 per cent at the Big Hill resource at Cookes Creek, indicating evidence of "high grade shoots", Hazelwood said.

Another six exploration wells are to be drilled and the company expects to release a revised mineral resource estimate by the end of August.

Hazelwood was originally intending to bulk mine the area, but Mr McAuliffe said the better-than-expected assay results mean it might conduct high grade mining in selected areas instead.

Hazelwood expects to commence feasibility studies for a tungsten project at Cookes Creek in September and Mr McAuliffe hopes the company will be producing its first tungsten by early 2010.

It's targeting annual output of 220,000 tonnes, or about 2-3 per cent of the world's tungsten output. Mr McAuliffe estimated that would convert to annual revenue of about $US40 million ($47m)

Hazelwood was continuing discussions with potential customers in China, Europe and North America, Mr McAuliffe said.

China currently produces and consumes about 70 per cent of the world's

tungsten.

TheAustralianNews.com.au

Advocacy Group Urges Clinton to Address Suffering and address those benefiting from anarchy to exploit lucrative minerals, like tungsten.

2009-08-11T18:37:00.001-07:00

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is visiting the DRC as part of her seven-nation tour of Africa, which is designed to promote democracy and development and strengthen US ties to the continent. Clinton met Tuesday with President Joseph Kabila in the eastern city of Goma, the capital of the volatile North Kivu province.

US Sec. of State Hillary Clinton is greeted by government members on arrival in Kinshasa, Congo

Kambale Musavuli, national spokesperson for the U.S.-based advocacy group Friends of the Congo, says according to the stated objectives of the State Department, the visit "underline[s] the US commitment to collaborate with the Congolese government, the private sector, NGOs and citizens to build capacity and realize their potential. She [Clinton] is also concerned about gender-based violence in Congo and wants to highlight that during her visit."

More than 200,000 women have been raped since 1996 in the conflict and violence in eastern Congo, according to the United Nations. Nearly six million people have died in the struggle over the past 13 years, Musavuli says.

Among the perpetrators of the fighting in the area are ethnic Hutu militias accused of committing atrocities in Rwanda's genocide and civil war nearly 15 years ago, and local Congolese fighters, many from the Tutsi ethnic group.

"We want [Clinton] to listen to the Congolese people…. She's going to see the victims of the war…. She will see people first hand and it will be critical for her to listen to what the Congolese people are saying," says Musavuli.

US policymakers are encouraging the governments of Congo and Rwanda to work together to end the violence in eastern Congo.The joint efforts include military cooperation.

Kambale Musavuli favors negotiations that would include Congolese rebels and the country's neighbors

But a more African approach, Musavuli says, would include a negotiating framework that would bring together all rebel forces within the country and focus more on a political solution than a military one. Besides regional powers Rwanda and Uganda, it would also include Congo's other neighbors, some of whom are benefiting from the anarchy to exploit such lucrative minerals as gold, tungsten, and tin, which are often used in cell phones and other electrical products.

Musavuli also wants international corporations to stop practices that Transparency International and other such groups have found to be corrupt or exploitative.

The West should follow the lead of Sweden, the Netherlands and Canada, he says, in bringing pressure to bear on Rwanda and Uganda to be partners for peace.

He also calls for greater support for local institutions and pro-democracy forces in Congo and support for democratization efforts in Uganda and Rwanda, which he says would benefit the entire Great Lakes region.

Source : http://www.voanews.com/english/Africa/2009-08-11-voa29.cfm

Reducing operating costs is the name of the game for Thor's Tungsten Moly development project

2009-08-10T07:56:00.001-07:00

Thor Mining PLC said that an investigation of alternatives to reduce capital and operating costs for the Molyhil tungsten molybdenum development project in Australia's Northern Territory continues and is expected to be finalized at the end of August 2009.

In its quarterly update for the period to end June 2009, it said that the price of molybdenum roasted concentrates has increased by 87% to USD 15 per pound since April 2009. Molybdenum prices have steadily strengthened on tight European supply and strong Chinese demand.

Development of Molyhil and in particular financing has been the main focus for the period. The Thor management team continues to meet with many potential financiers and partners with a view to getting the project into operation. The discussions have been positive to date, however the mood is still very cautious in the current financial climate.

First pass reconnaissance reverse circulation drilling is planned at Hatches Creek during the next quarter.

(Sourced from www.proactiveinvestors.co.uk)

Knight Inlet samples return 14 m of 0.155% WO3 for Dentonia

2009-08-06T18:38:00.001-07:00

Dentonia Announces Channel Sampling Results from Tungsten Discovery on Knight Inlet Area Claims
August 6, 2009

Dentonia Resources Ltd. ("the Company") is pleased to announce channel sampling assay results from the quartz-garnet tungsten discovery skarn ("the Discovery Skarn") on the Knight Inlet Area Claims (see News Releases dated June 22 and July 14, 2009). The Discovery Skarn is located 11kms inland from Fraser Bay at the head of Loughborough Inlet.

Elemental Tungsten ("W") is sold on the world market as tungsten concentrate ("WO₃"); accordingly W assay values were converted to WO₃ by the formula WO₃ = 1.2616 x W.

Channel sampling highlights are:

9m (0-9m) averaging 0.189% (1.9kg/t) WO₃ and 0.25% copper; and

14m (15-29m) averaging 0.155% (1.6kg/t) WO₃ and 0.06% copper, including 4m (15-19m) of 0.36% (3.6kg/t) WO₃.

Twenty-nine channel samples at 1m intervals along the Discovery Skarn were collected under the supervision and control of James A. Turner, P.Geo. A horizontal channel was created with a rock saw at a consistent height across the Discovery Skarn (see photo on Dentonia's website at www.dentonia.net). The samples were assayed by International Plasma Labs Ltd. of Richmond, BC. Copper was analyzed by the Fusion Induced Plasma Mult-acid (ICPM) Method and tungsten by the Fusion ICP Method. See Full release

DTA - TSX.v

Dentonia Announces $27,500 Private Placement August 5, 2009

2009-08-06T07:41:00.001-07:00

Dentonia Resources Ltd. ("the Company") is pleased to announce a non-brokered Private Placement of up to 550,000 units at $0.05 per Unit.

Subject to regulatory approval, each Unit will consist of one share and one two-year common share purchase warrant entitling the purchaser to purchase an additional common share of the Company for $0.05 per share in the first year and $0.07 per share in the second year.

All funds realized have been advanced to the Company and have & will be used for general corporate purposes and exploration of the Company's tungsten project at Knight Inlet, BC.

For full details Click Here

DTA TSX.v

North American Tungsten closes CAD$6,000,000 Private Placement

2009-08-05T10:17:00.000-07:00

NORTH AMERICAN TUNGSTEN CORPORATION LTD. (the "Company") announces that it has completed the CAD$6,000,000 private placement financing announced on July 24, 2009. The Company issued a total of 40,000,000 common shares ("Common Shares") at a price of CAD$0.15 per Common Share. The Common Shares issued pursuant to the private placement are subject to a hold period that expires on December 1, 2009 in accordance with applicable Canadian securities laws and the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange.The proceeds of the private placement will be used to repay US$3,000,000 of convertible debentures and for working capital.

In addition, Mr. Ron Erickson, a director of the Company, today announced that he acquired 10,000,000 Common Shares in the private placement, representing approximately 5.9%............for Full Details see release

NTC on the TSX.v
www.NorthAmericanTungsten.com

China expands its grip on the Tungsten Market with recent Acquisition in Mongolia

2009-07-27T15:25:00.000-07:00

Bestway International (HKG:0718) has signed an agreement for the acquisition of mining licences for tungsten deposits in Mongolia at a total consideration of $940 million.

Upon completion of the acquisitions, Bestway International will become engaged in mining business of the resources or reserves of tungsten in the two target mines.

www.TalkingTungsten.com

Tungsten Metallurgical Tests - Respond positively for Adex Mining

2009-07-26T23:17:00.001-07:00

NEW BRUNSWICK — Ores from the Mount Pleasant mine belonging to Toronto-based Adex Mining respond well to gravity pre-concentration in metallurgical tests. Theformer mine 80 km south of Fredericton has two distance ore types: tungsten-molybdenum mineralization in the Fire Tower zone and tin-indium-zinc mineralization in theNorth zone.

The results of bench-scale gravity and flotation tests were used in the design of the proposed flowsheet. Batch tests combined with computer modeling indicated that a 25.6% WO₃ concentrate can be made with a tungsten recovery rate of 83.3%. The findings also indicated that modifications to the flowsheet will be needed for the optimum production of tin concentrate.

Separately, Adex commissioned leaching tests on the tungsten gravity concentrate. In bench tests employing a bake/leach/single-stage autoclave process, tungsten recovery was in the range of 95% to 99%. The results will be used to assess the possibility of producing ammonium paratungstate, used in the production of tungsten carbide.

For three years in the mid-1980s, Billiton (now part of BHP Billiton) produced tungsten at Mount Pleasant. A few photos are posted at www.AdexMining.com.

ADE- TSX.v

Canadian Mining Journal Reports

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LARGO RESOURCES ANNOUNCES $5.1 Million FLOW THROUGH PRIVATE PLACEMENT FINANCING

2009-07-24T12:44:00.003-07:00

Largo Resources Ltd. has agreed to sell 5.1 million flow-through units at a price of 10 cents per unit. Each unit will comprise one flow-through common share and one-half of one share purchase warrant. Each warrant shall be exercisable for one common share at a price of 15 cents at any time prior to the date that is 18 months from the date of issue.

Upon closing of the financing, Largo shall pay First Canadian Securities a 6-per-cent cash finder's fee and 180,000 compensation options. Each compensation option will entitle First Canadian Securities to acquire one compensation unit at a price of 10 cents per compensation option exercised at any time prior to the date that is 18 months from the date of issue. Each compensation unit shall comprise one non-flow-through common share and one-half of one warrant.

Closing of the offering is anticipated to occur on or before July 30, 2009, and is subject to receipt of applicable regulatory approvals including approval of the TSX Venture Exchange.

The flow-through shares will be subject to resale restrictions for a period of four months plus one day from the closing date.

The gross proceeds from the offering will be used for eligible Canadian exploration expenses that qualify as Canadian exploration expenses (as defined in the Income Tax Act (Canada)) and will be renounced for the 2009 taxation year.

For Full release see www.LargoResources.com

LGO TSX.v

North American Tungsten Announces a CAD$6,000,000 Private Placement

2009-07-24T12:44:00.001-07:00

North American Tungsten Corporation Ltd. (the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has negotiated a Private Placement of 40,000,000 common shares at a price of CAD$0.15 per share with insiders and private investors for proceeds of CAD$6,000,000, subject to regulatory approval. The proceeds of the private placement will be used for repayment of the US$3,000,000 convertible debenture and the balance for working capital. The Private Placement is subject to regulatory approval.

The Company further announces the renewal and increase to its credit facilities with HSBC ("Bank"). The completed credit facility renewals and increases include;

for full release Click Here

North American Tungsten
NTC - TSX,v
www.NorthAmericanTungsten.com

Newcrest's reveals a 'world class' Tungsten discovery

2009-07-22T08:04:00.001-07:00

Barry Fitzgerald

July 23, 2009

NEWCREST has put the wind up China's tungsten industry by revealing that its O'Callaghans tungsten discovery near the Telfer gold/copper mine in Western Australia is shaping up as a world-class find.

Managing director of Melbourne-based Newcrest Ian Smith said an initial resource estimate for O'Callaghans would be about 60 million tonnes. He did not give an indicative grade but said it was a deposit of "world significance".

China controls the world tungsten market through production dominance from mines in Jiangxi, Hunan and Yunnan. It may bid for O'Callaghans to maintain its hold.

Newcrest is open to exploiting the situation. Mr Smith said Newcrest had a team in China talking to "people who are very interested in O'Callaghans because China's companies control the tungsten market at the moment".

"But just as importantly, some of the companies to have shown intense interest have been from Japan and northern Europe," Mr Smith said.

While relishing the interest in the strategic discovery, Newcrest has yet to decide whether to hold on to O'Callaghans. "What we're confident of is that we're sitting on a pretty important and strategic resource. There is no shortage of people interested in what is … a world-class deposit outside of the control of the country that now dominates that whole industry," Mr Smith said.

He was speaking at the release of Newcrest's June-quarter/June-year production report. Gold production rose 9 per cent to 397,826 ounces in the June quarter compared with the preceding quarter. That took annual output to 1.63 million ounces for the June year, in line with previous company guidance that output would be 1.62 million ounces. Annual copper production was higher than guidance at 89,900 tonnes.

Newcrest shares closed down 57¢ at $30.39, in line with general share price weakness in the sector due to easing inflation concerns that have sent gold prices lower.

Trading Symbols - ASX : NCM & NTSE - ADRs: NCMGY

http://www.newcrest.com.au/

Geodex completes 2009 Sisson Brook drill program

2009-07-21T13:12:00.001-07:00

Geodex Minerals Ltd.'s 2009 drill program at the Sisson Brook tungsten-molybdenum deposit, located north of Fredericton, N.B., has been completed ahead of schedule. The drilling program consisted of 4,900 metres in 28 holes. This drill program was one of a series of drill programs from 2005 to 2009 that have successively advanced Sisson Brook from exploration to the prefeasibility and development phase.

The drilling portion of the program was completed ahead of schedule and within budget. Core logging and assay analysis of the core are continuing. The assay results will be available by early October for incorporation into an updated resource tonnage block model that is planned to follow immediately thereafter.

The goal of the drill program was three-fold. The main purpose was to upgrade a portion of the current inferred resource to the measured and indicated category, for inclusion in the prefeasibility study in the company's development plan. Secondly, identify better-grade, near-surface resources, which will be mined early in the life of the mine to improve the recovery of mine capital costs. Drilling was also completed for targets adjacent to the Zone III and Ellipse zones, the two most economically important zones in the Sisson Brook deposit.

Geodex completed an encouraging preliminary economic study earlier this year that demonstrated the Sisson Brook deposit is a large tungsten-molybdenum resource amenable to low-cost, open-pit mining methods. A prefeasibility study is the next stage and will consist of updating the resource calculation based on the current drill program, advancing the metallurgical work that has successfully identified an effective preconcentration process, as well as advancing the mine design, engineering, infrastructure and continuing environmental studies.

GXM on The TSX.v

www.GeodexMinerals.com

Adex - Reports Metallurgical Programs for Optimizing Metal Production at Mount Pleasant

2009-07-20T07:32:00.001-07:00

Adex Mining Inc. ("Adex" or the "Company") (TSX VENTURE: ADE) is pleased to provide a progress report on metallurgical test programs that were carried out by the Company in relation to its Mount Pleasant Mine Property ("Mount Pleasant" or the "Property"). The results of the metallurgical test programs provide the Company with valuable information required to develop an optimal commercial extraction and recovery process for the principal metals hosted at Mount Pleasant, being tungsten, molybdenum, tin and indium. This information will also help guide the Company in developing production options for the Property.

GRAVITY-FLOTATION SEPARATION TEST PROGRAM

SGS Lakefield Research Europe Ltd. of Cornwall, United Kingdom ("SGS Europe") has completed initial bench scale testing of a multi-stage grinding and gravity-flotation separation process (the "Gravity Process"). The Gravity Process is being considered by the Company as an innovative approach to improving the grade and recovery (by pre-concentration) of the metals hosted at Mount Pleasant's two mineralized zones - being the tungsten-molybdenum bearing Fire Tower Zone (the "FTZ") and the tin-indium-zinc bearing North Zone (the "NZ").

The Gravity process was designed by Thibault & Associates Inc. of Fredericton, New Brunswick and was tested using bench scale techniques by SGS Europe to quantify its metallurgical performance for the production of tungsten concentrate from the FTZ deposit. The Company is evaluating the use of tungsten concentrate from the Gravity Process and a hydrometallurgical Process for possible production of ammonium paratungstate ("APT"). APT is considered the primary intermediate for the production of tungsten carbide which is used primarily for hard steel applications.

The Gravity Process was bench scale tested for conceptual design of the concentrator. The results of the bench scale test were also used to model the performance of the proposed flowsheet. Bench scale batch test results combined with computer modeling of a fully integrated flowsheet for continuous concentrate production has indicated that a recovery of 83.3% for tungsten with a concentrate grade of 25.6% tungsten tri-oxide (WO3) may be achieved. A continuous pilot test of the proposed Gravity Process will be required to verify the overall grade and recovery of processing the ore from the FTZ.

The Gravity Process tested on ore samples from the FTZ was also used to assess tin concentrate production from the NZ deposit. The results of the Gravity Process test program indicate that modifications to the flowsheet developed for tungsten production will be required for the production of tin concentrate.

TUNGSTEN GRAVITY CONCENTRATE LEACHING TEST PROGRAM

Development of the Gravity Process: a representative sample of ore from the FTZ zone was processed by the Minerals Engineering Centre of Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia to produce a low grade tungsten concentrate.

Research and Productivity Council ("RPC") of Fredericton, New Brunswick then completed a bench scale test program to improve on the quality of the gravity concentrate for APT production. Bench scale flotation tests on the low grade gravity concentrate achieved up to 70% reduction of the arsenic bearing minerals prior to tungsten leaching, thereby improving feedstock for APT production.

The tungsten leach is the initial step of the APT hydrometallurgical process developed by Thibault & Associates Inc. and the test program was conducted by RPC to assess the technical viability of the proposed leaching process. Two stage atmospheric bake-leach and single stage autoclave leach tests were carried out on the arsenic (arsenopyrite, loellingite) flotation tails (tungsten concentrate) to assess processing alternatives for the extraction of tungsten from low grade concentrates. The results of the leach test program indicate a selective process for optimum tungsten extraction (using an autoclave leach) in the range of 95% to 99% may be achieved based on bench scale batch testing.

The arsenic flotation and tungsten leach tests will assist the Company in the design of a hydrometallurgical process for the production of APT from a gravity concentrate. Continuous piloting of the leach and solution purification unit operations will be required to confirm the purity of the APT.

MINERALOGY ASSESSMENT PROGRAM

SGS Lakefield Research Limited of Lakefield, Ontario ("SGS Lakefield") has completed a detailed mineralogy assessment (the "Mineralogy Assessment") of ore from both the FTZ and NZ. The initial results of the Mineralogy Assessment, which were first reported in the Company's press release dated December 23, 2008, provide information on grain size for various minerals, liberation or grind requirement and theoretical grade-recovery relationships for the beneficiation of various metals. The results of the Mineralogy Assessment also suggest that sphalerite is the predominant host of indium at Mount Pleasant.

The foregoing series of metallurgical programs that have been completed by the Company at its contract laboratory facilities, being SGS Lakefield, SGS Europe, Dalhousie University and RPC, were necessary in order for the Company to move forward in developing various production options for the Property. In addition, the information obtained from the metallurgical programs will assist the Company in designing and developing a future pilot plant program which may lead to commercial-level production of tungsten, molybdenum, tin and indium at Mount Pleasant.

SGS Lakefield and SGS Europe are leading mineralogy research and metallurgical testing firms. RPC is an independent R&D firm situated in Fredericton, New Brunswick. Thibault & Associates Inc. - Applied Process Chemical Engineering of Fredericton, New Brunswick serves as an independent consulting firm to the Company with respect to Mount Pleasant metallurgical and environmental process development, design and planning.

QUALIFIED PERSON:

Mr. J. Dean Thibault, M.Sc., P. Eng., is the Senior Process Chemical Engineer of Thibault & Associates Inc., and is an independent qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101. Mr. Thibault has managed the metallurgical test programs and supervised the preparation of the technical information contained in this press release in compliance with National Instrument 43-101.

ABOUT ADEX:

Adex Mining Inc. is a Canadian junior mining company with an experienced management team. The Company is focused on developing its flagship Mount Pleasant Mine Property, a multi-metal project that is host to promising tungsten-molybdenum and tin-indium-zinc-copper mineralization. Located in Charlotte County, New Brunswick, Mount Pleasant is situated approximately 80 kilometres south of Fredericton, the provincial capital, and is 65 kilometres from the United States border. The common shares of Adex trade on the TSX Venture Exchange under the stock symbol "ADE".

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

Certain statements in this press release may constitute "forward-looking" statements which involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause actual results, performance or achievements of Adex, its subsidiary or the industry in which they operate to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. When used in this press release, the words "estimate", "believe", "anticipate", "intend", "expect", "plan", "may", "should", "will", the negative thereof or other variations thereon or comparable terminology are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Such statements reflect the current expectations of the management of Adex with respect to future events based on currently available information and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by those forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties are detailed from time to time, including, without limitation, under the heading "Risk Factors", in reports filed by Adex with the Alberta, British Columbia and Ontario Securities Commissions which are available at www.sedar.com and to which readers of this press release are referred for additional information concerning Adex, its prospects and the risks and uncertainties relating to Adex and its prospects. New risk factors may arise from time to time and it is not possible for management to predict all of those risk factors or the extent to which any factor or combination of factors may cause actual results, performance and achievements of Adex to be materially different from those contained in forward-looking statements. Although the forward-looking statements contained in this press release are based upon what management believes to be reasonable assumptions, Adex cannot assure investors that actual results will be consistent with these forward-looking statements. Given these risks and uncertainties, investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements as a prediction of actual results.

The forward-looking information contained in this press release is current only as of the date of the press release. Adex does not undertake or assume any obligation to release publicly any revisions to these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events, except as required by law.

No securities commission or regulatory authority has approved or disapproved the contents of this press release.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Contacts:
Adex Mining Inc.
J. Errol Farr, CMA
President, Chief Executive Officer and Director
1-866-508-2339 (ADEX)
investorrelations@adexmining.com
www.adexmining.com

Dentonia reports Extension Of Tungsten Discovery - including 4.66kg/t tungsten over 4m

2009-07-14T14:02:00.001-07:00

Dentonia Resources Ltd. ("the Company") is pleased to announce further assay results from a quartz-garnet (skarn tungsten) showing on the Knight Inlet Area Claims (see News Release dated June 22, 2009). The samples were assayed by International Plasma Labs Ltd. of Richmond, BC. The significant results of both chip-sampling programs are given in the table below.

Together with the previous results, the discovery has been extended from 22m to 32m with the following values:

1.314kg/t tungsten with 0.123% copper and 2.53g/t silver over 32m, including 4.66kg/t tungsten over 4m (16m – 20m).

Eleven additional chip samples, taken at 2m intervals, were collected under the supervision and control of James A. Turner, P.Geo. Copper and silver were analyzed by the Fusion Induced Plasma Mult-acid (ICPM) Method and tungsten by the Fusion ICP Method.

The Company is pleased with these results and plan to:

· Continue chip sampling along the discovery

· Channel sample the 32m skarn

· Carry out geological mapping of the discovery area

The current world price of WO₃ concentrate is approximately US$25 per kilogram. Tungsten is a hard, corrosive-resistant element with the highest melting point of all non-alloyed metals. Tungsten and its alloys are used in high-temperature structural materials and many electronic applications.

Skarn Tungsten

"Almost 100% of Canadian tungsten production, which at one time constituted about 5% of the annual world production, has been derived from skarn deposits. Skarns are the second most important type of economic tungsten deposit after vein-stockwork deposits, and account for an estimated 30% of total world production."

Dawson, K.M., "Geological of Canadian Mineral Deposit Type"

For the complete release click here

Novellus, UAlbany $20 R&D Partnership launched

2009-07-14T12:25:00.001-07:00

The equipment supplier will locate researchers and tools at Albany's College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering to support development of sub-22-nm technologies.

By Suzanne Deffree,

The College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering (CNSE) at the University at Albany and Novellus Systems Inc have formed a $20 million partnership to conduct next-generation R&D in sub-22nm semiconductor manufacturing technology.

As part of the agreement, the equipment supplier will install three advanced thin-film deposition tools -- a VECTOR plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition system, a SABRE copper electrochemical deposition system, and an ALTUS tungsten chemical vapor deposition system -- at CNSE's Albany NanoTech complex.

Further, a team of Novellus researchers will be located with CNSE staff at Albany NanoTech. The team will conduct research into advanced nanofabrication processes including copper fill for interconnects, copper through-silicon via fill for 3-D packaging applications, tungsten deposition for transistor contacts, and thin dielectric film deposition.

"Novellus Systems is pleased to engage in this next-generation research and development program in collaboration with the College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering," said Tom Caulfield, Novellus executive VP of sales, marketing, and customer satisfaction, in a statement. "Combining the technological expertise of Novellus, with the intellectual know-how and assets of CNSE, will accelerate the development of innovations needed to drive our industry forward."

Geodex puts Pre-feasibility on hold due to lack of funding

2009-07-10T07:53:00.001-07:00

By Chris Fox

Daily Gleamer

A major step towards construction of a US$339-million open-pit tungsten mine near Stanley is on hold while officials search for funding.

Vancouver's Geodex Mining Ltd. completed a metallurgic assessment at a site in Sisson Brook in April. It showed rich deposits of tungsten and molybdenum valued at US$1.18 billion over an expected 20-year mine life. Exploratory drilling began June 11.

The next step will be a pre-feasibility study, expected to take six to eight months, but Mark Fields, president and CEO of Geodex Mining, said Thursday that securing funding for the $1.3-million study has been a challenge, leaving the project temporarily stalled.

"The sooner we can start the better, but in the summertime it is always more difficult to get the financing in place for something like that," he said.

"We are having some discussions and the sooner we can start the happier we will be, but we don't have any firm timeline right now."

While a 26-hole drilling project at the site now is meant to give officials from Geodex a clearer picture of the grade and quantity of tungsten at the site, the per-feasibility study will explore how to extract the tungsten and gauge the capital and labour costs that will be incurred in doing so. It will also make preliminary recommendation on how to lay out and design the mine.

"What we are trying to do is advance the confidence level of the work that has been done from broader parameters to more detailed study, and what we would like to be doing as we do the pre-feasibility study is have some discussions with parties in the Tungsten industry," said Fields.

"One of the advantages of the Sisson Brook deposit is that it is so large that it could become quite the player on the world stage, so we want to have increasing contact with the people that actually use the tungsten."

Tungsten is a steel-grey metal often used in construction. About 85 per cent of the world's tungsten supply comes from China, but there are also large stores in Austria, Bolivia, Portugal and Russia. In Canada, it is mined only in the Northwest Territories.

Stanley Mayor Richard Storey said he's excited for the impact a major mine in nearby Sisson Brook will have on his town.

"They are not ready with their feasibility study yet, but we are hoping it is going to go forward soon," he said.

"The majority of people in town are for it as long as the environmental studies are done according to the government. So we're kind of looking forward to it."

The Village of Stanley will release a third-party study on the economic impact of the Sisson Brook mine in September.

Fields said he's excited by the mine's money-making potential, adding that a delay of several months in moving on to the pre-feasibility study stage shouldn't have much of an impact on his plan to have the mine in operation by 2013.

"The worldwide economy is a big variable right now, but if things go ahead, we will certainly see the mine in operation by 2013 or 2014," he said.

"Sisson Brook is very well located and all the infrastructure is there in terms of roads, railway and labour force, and that is important because this is a worldwide market and we will be accessing the North American market, the Asian market and the European market."

North American Tungsten puts a $1 mill in the Kitty via sale of Non Core Asset

2009-07-08T07:53:00.001-07:00

July 08, 2009

North American Tungsten Corporation Ltd. has concluded an agreement to sell its remaining interest in the Jennings property (formerly known as Tootsie River) to its joint venture partner Agnico‐Eagle Mines Limited ("Agnico"), for the sum of CAN$1.0 million cash. The Company would have held a 30% interest in the Jennings after Agnico's CAN$4.0 million work commitment. The property is located on the B.C./Yukon border approximately 85 km west of Watson Lake, Yukon.

Mr. Stephen Leahy, Chairman & CEO of the Company stated "It was a pleasure working with such a professional group of people at Agnico but with the Jennings property being a non‐core asset for us, the deal made very good sense."

Former Participant in TalkingTungsten.ca

25-year low in 2008, shipments this year still decreasing due to lack of demand

2009-07-07T09:56:00.001-07:00

Demand drop from automakers still cutting shipments this year

Tom Stundza -- Purchasing, 7/7/2009 12:17:35 PM EDT

North American metal powder shipments dropped 18.4% in 2008 to 415,427 net tons and have declined further during the first half of 2009. That's the word from Mark Paullin, president of the Metal Powder Industries Federation, speaking at the PowderMet2009 Conference in Las Vegas.

Shipments in 2008 were the lowest in 25 years (426,050 tons in 1994) and could drop under 400,000 net tons this year since the continuing decrease in auto production has reduced the need for powder-metal parts and caused further reduction in metal power production, according to Paullin.

"Just like U.S. manufacturing in general, the PM industry has been impacted negatively by the current recession and plunging automotive production," Paullin says. According to a MPIF spokesman, shipment into automotive "were especially abysmal in the first quarter" and probably won't be back on track until the fourth quarter, or more likely, 2010.

The powder metallurgy industry weakened in the second half of 2008, especially in the final quarter mainly due to a sharp decrease in auto production in November and December. Iron powder production and deliveries declined 19% to 327,272 short tons, copper and copper-based powder shipments declined 13% to17,400 short tons, and stainless steel powder shipments declined about 20% to an estimated 7,750 short tons.

Declines also were registered by tin, nickel, tungsten, tungsten carbide, molybdenum, and aluminum metal powders.

Is China going to flood the market with Tungsten Again ?

2009-07-02T08:18:00.001-07:00

China on June 22nd 2009 has revised and reduced the duties on exports of nonferrous metals from July 1st 2009. Molybdenum, tungsten and indium have become the objective items to reduce its export duties.

The amount exported from China in May 2009 had come to USD 88,758 million, which had a considerable fall of 26.4% from that in the same month of 2008 and sped up to shrink a scale of the exports from China following a large decrease of 22.6% in April. This revision of the export duties has been supposed as a countermeasure for the decreased exports.

In accordance with this revision, the duties imposed on exports of molybdenum and tungsten were 10% to 15% but are reduced to 5% from July 1st 2009. The classification of molybdenum as per the HS code 28-257000 has included molybdenum oxide and molybdenum hydroxide. The duty so far imposed on export of molybdenum oxide from China was 15% but new duty to be imposed on molybdenum oxide from July is reduced to 5%.

China suddenly increased to import molybdenum oxide from January of 2009 but, on the other hand, decreased considerably to export molybdenum oxide because of high duty. China imported 22,512 tons in material of molybdenum oxide in January to April of 2009 but exported only 1,804 tonnes in material of molybdenum oxide in the same period of 2009. A substantial fall of price for molybdenum oxide in the international market has caused to give an advantage to the cost to import molybdenum and, therefore, Chinese steel companies have moved to give a priority to the imports.

Consequently, the stocks of molybdenum accumulated in China have reached a large quantity and the business to mine molybdenum, which has been closely connected with local economy, has become the matter in question.

(Sourced form TEX Report Limited)

Prefeasibility Study to be completed in Sept on Hazelwood’s tungsten project

2009-07-01T18:57:00.001-07:00

By: Esmarie Swanepoel

1st July 2009

ASX-listed nickel sulphide and tungsten exploration company Hazelwood Resources' Big Hill prefeasibility study was progressing ahead of schedule, following a recent A$3-million raising, the company said on Wednesday.

The study on the deposit, located in Western Australia, was likely to be completed around September.

Hazelwood stated that the project could produce between 2% and 3% of the world's primary mine tungsten.

The resource upgrade drilling was about 50% completed, and was expected to be concluded by mid-July. The objective of the programme was to increase the inventory of measured and indicated resources, thereby allowing a significant ore reserve to be estimated.

Hazelwood reported that the upgrade drilling programme continued to intersect coarse-grained scheelite at depth, with the mineralised sequence showing true widths of about 100 m.

Hazelwood has conducted a focused drilling and metallurgical testwork programme at the Big Hill deposit, but added that only a fraction of the extensive mineralised sequence at the deposit has been evaluated for resources.

The project concept was for a mining and processing operation, with a production capacity of about 220 000 t/y of tungsten concentrate. Preliminary pit optimisation indicated a life-of-mine strip ratio of less than 1:1.

The company added that recent successful x-ray sorting testwork has provided an opportunity to consider a bulk mining and processing operation that exploits the entire project and further reduced operating costs.

Edited by: Mariaan Webb

http://www.miningweekly.com/article/hazelwoods-tungsten-prefeasibility-study-to-be-completed-in-sept-2009-07-01

Venture Minerals delivers positive Scoping study on Tungsten-Tin-Magnetite deposit

2009-06-30T08:55:00.001-07:00

Tasmanian poly-metallic deposit company Venture Minerals (ASX: VMS) has released an independent Scoping Study on the Mt Lindsay deposit with positive project results.

The study indicated a starting mine life of 7 years and generating $700 million in net cash from developing the Tin/Tungsten/Magnetite deposit.

One of the economic advantages of Mt Lindsay is that mining and processing costs can be amortised over the three commodities - delivering a higher profit margin per tonne mined.

Main parameters of the Scoping Study included:

- Annual Production - 4.4Mt
- Greater than 7 years of mine life
- Net Cash LOM ("Life Of Mine") - $702 million
- Average Annual Operating Revenue - $241 million (at full production)
- Average Annual Operating Cost - $132 million (at full production)
- Average Annual Net Revenue - $109 million (at full production)
- Estimated Capital Expenditure - $255 million
- Internal Rate of Return - 30% (assuming 75% Equity 25% Debt)

However, the caveats to the Study are as important and provide potential for greater upside:

Less than 10% of exploration targets have been drill tested at Mt Lindsay. There is scope for a 10 - 15 year mine life for the Mt Lindsay Deposit. Importantly, the Stanley River DSO Project is not included in the scoping study.

Both the Mt Lindsay and Stanley River projects have exceptional access to existing infrastructure - Power, Road, Rail and Port - and the envy of many emerging producers. With three commodities, there is some partial protection versus one commodity price volatility.

Perhaps forgotten, with focus on three commodities is that Venture owns the third largest JORC compliant tin resource in Australia.

Venture will now complete a major drilling campaign over the coming months focussed on expanding the Mt Lindsay resource base and extending the potential mine life of the project. A full feasibility study will commence as soon as additional resource tonnes are defined.

More See

NTC to Mothball Tungsten Mine due to falling prices, and increased stockpiles

2009-06-29T17:21:00.001-07:00

North American Tungsten Corporation Ltd. (the "Company") announces that it will temporarily suspend production at its CanTung tungsten mine in the Northwest Territories, effective October 15, 2009 due to increased product inventory and declining tungsten prices. The mine will be placed on a care and maintenance program that will enable a timely and cost effective return to production when market conditions improve.

The Company will continue to sell product from inventory and will have sufficient material to satisfy all contractual sales obligations. The Company further plans to continue spot sales of product through early 2010. The Company intends to meet all its financial obligations while conserving cash for future growth. In addition, the Company is developing strategies for both short and long term funding.

"This has been a difficult decision as we have seen our tungsten team evolve to be among the best in the world. I am very proud of our team." said Stephen Leahy, Chairman and CEO. He further added "I expect that a tungsten supply shortfall will develop as the world economy improves. We fully intend to pursue plans to return the mine to full operations after markets have significantly firmed."

The Company will continue with its planned summer exploration drilling program at both the CanTung Mine and the MacTung Deposit to expand known resources. The majority of funds will be spent on the MacTung Deposit.

Permitting and development work will continue on the MacTung project.

ABOUT NORTH AMERICAN TUNGSTEN CORPORATION LTD.

Research on Hunters use of Lead vrs Tungsten

2009-06-28T10:03:00.001-07:00

TPWD Plans To Make Central Texas Dove Research More Organized

AUSTIN - The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department will be returning to Central Texas to continue its study looking at lead in dove, but this time the department promises to be a better neighbor.

The agency created a ruckus last August when it started a research dove hunt in Brown County two days before other hunters flocked into the area for the Sept. 1 season opener.

The project was held with no advance notice, including to TPWD hierarchy, and after hearing complaints, was halted for a day. It resumed on the normal opening day of the season.

TPWD officials said Monday they are returning to Brown, Coleman and McCullough counties late this summer, but unlike last year will be making a better effort to notify the public and surrounding landowners about the research project by doing it themselves instead of depending on a contract outfitter. Plans include a public meeting in Early on June 30. There will also only be one day of preseason shooting, and that will be restricted - only enough to train department employees working with the project.

RESEARCH HUNT: Dove hunters in Central Texas will again be joined by shooters for a Texas Parks and Wildlife Department research project looking at the impact of lead shot.

As a third peace offering, the department is seeking volunteer shooters from Central Texas to participate in the research project.

"We clearly acknowledge we could have done this better," said Carter Smith, TPWD's executive director, said last week during briefing on the research.

The research is in response to concerns that dove ingesting spent lead pellets could be impacting population numbers. In recent years biologists believe that dove are declining at a rate of about 1 percent a year nationwide, however, there are reasons to dispute those findings. Still, several states are looking at the lead issue and some have already banned the use of lead shot for upland birds on sites primarily around wetlands. There are other states and groups that are calling for a general ban on lead shot for hunting.

"This issue is coming from other states," said Corey Mason, the department's dove program leader. "It is something on the horizon, but there are some states that would be willing to go to nontoxic shot now."

Hunters nationwide take about 22 million dove each fall, down from 41 million in 1989.

However, dove hunting isn't as big anywhere as it is in Texas where between 4 and 5 million, or about 28 percent of the nationwide harvest, are shot each year. A 2005 study showed dove hunting had an annual economic impact of $316 million, including $177 million in retail sales that supported 3,145 jobs. However, while Texas dove hunter numbers have dipped from a high of 440,000 there are still between 275,000 and 340,000, depending on the year.

This will be the third year of the lethality portion of the project that looks at ammunition efficiency. In this portion of the project, shooters don't know whether they are shooting lead or nontoxic shot, and if it is one of the nontoxic shells what type it is. All of the shooters are using 12-gauge shotguns.

A spotter is assigned to each shooter who makes notes on whether a shot was a hit, miss or wound.

Dove shot during the study are x-rayed and undergo a necropsy to determine the number of pellets in the bird and how deep they traveled, as well as the number that passed through the bird.

In part, the department wants to know if steel shot can be as effective on dove as lead, or if a switch would lead to a higher wound-loss rate. This portion of the study is similar to research done on waterfowl in the 1980s.

Nontoxic shot is a term used to describe shot pellets not toxic to birds if ingested as grit or with their food. In controlled studies, scientists identified a mortality rate of 24 percent from a single pellet of lead.

However, there has not been enough field research to see how much lead shot dove are ingesting in the wild. That will be looked at in the final stage of the project.

Along with the research into lead vs. nontoxic shot, the department has also contracted a dove hunter opinion survey. A report on the findings should be available later this summer. A quick summary seems to be that most hunters don't know there is a nationwide discussion on the impact of spent lead shot on dove. Another conclusion appears to be that hunters say they are willing to do what is necessary, including switching to non-lead shot.

There are currently seven types of nontoxic shot approved by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service - steel, steel shot with coatings, bismuth-tin, tungsten-iron, tungsten-polymer, tungsten-matrix and tungsten-nickel-iron. Some ammunition manufacturers currently make 2 3/4-inch, 20- and 12-gauge shells with No. 7 nontoxic load for hunting teal. These loads could be used on dove, but production would have to be ramped upward. Currently those shells sell for $9 to $11 per box.

The final portion of the study will look at the prevalence of lead shot found in fields across Texas. That research is expected to begin in 2010.

There has been some research indicating lead shot ingestion rates have ranged from less than one-half of 1 percent to almost 4 percent.

Unlike previous studies that concentrated on heavily hunted areas, the TPWD prevalence research will look at a cross-section of dove hunting habitat.

While it would seem this is the most important part of the study and should have been conducted first, Mason said the race to ban lead by some states dictated the need for the lethality component first to counter the other state's arguments.

The cost of this project has been as elusive as the dove themselves. The number now is an estimated $2.2 million. The department pays just under half the cost and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service picks up the remainder of the tab. The state's portion is being paid with revenue from the state's migratory game bird stamp.

Conclusion of the project is scheduled for 2013.

Contact Outdoor Editor Steve Knight at 903-596-6277 or by e-mail at outdoor@tylerpaper.com.

Company eyes Knight Inlet’s mining potential for a Tungsten Mine

2009-06-26T22:46:00.001-07:00

Campbell River Mirror

By Grant Warkentin - Campbell River Mirro

A Vancouver company wants to find out if Knight Inlet is a good location for a tungsten and silver mine.

Dentonia Resources Ltd., a Vancouver-based company which is also involved in diamond mining projects in the Northwest Territories, announced this week it had discovered an "encouraging" amount of tungsten in samples from its mining claims in Knight Inlet. The company took 11 chip samples over 22 metres, which show an average of 1.72 kilograms tungsten per ton of mined material and an average of 3.7 grams of silver per ton.

"In light of the encouraging chip sample results, the company has staked an additional 21,940 hectares, bringing the total area to 29,256 hectares," says the company's announcement.

Tungsten is a hard, corrosion-resistant element with the highest melting point of all non-alloy metals. Tungsten and its alloys are used in high-temperature structural materials and many electronic applications.

As well, the company pointed out, WO3 concentrate (tungsten oxide powder) is valuable, currently worth US$25 per kilogram.

Adolf Petancic, president of Dentonia Resources, said the company wants to get some more information about the potential of the tungsten deposit in its Knight Inlet claim.

"The next step would be to do some prospecting, geological sampling," he said.

If it proves to be worth the effort, the company would start more intensive exploration. But that would be much later, he said, adding the company would consult with First Nations in the region before going that far with the project.

Knight Inlet is located on the mainland, roughly 80 kilometres from Campbell River, accessible by boat or air. It is a popular destination for wildlife tours, and is also home to the Knight Inlet Lodge.

A few of the claims have road access.

"Some of the claims are accessible by existing logging roads from the Loughborough Inlet and Phillips Inlet, which are both located to the south of Knight Inlet," says the company announcement.

China to scrap export taxes on Tungsten starting July 1 2009,

2009-06-23T10:35:00.001-07:00

By Jennifer M. Freedman and Mark Drajem

The European Union and the U.S. complained at the World Trade Organization about Chinese export restrictions on raw materials such as magnesium, their third joint complaint against the Asian nation.

The EU and the U.S. said they filed a request for consultations at the WTO in Geneva today, setting off a period of discussions with China aimed at resolving the dispute. If talks fail, WTO judges can be asked to rule on the issue.

"We are most troubled that it appears this is a conscious policy to subsidize Chinese industry," U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk told journalists in Washington. "China is a leading global producer and exporter of the raw materials in question, and access to these materials is critical for U.S. industrial manufacturers."

The complaint accuses China of using special taxes intended to discourage the export of 20 metals or chemicals as a way to provide domestic manufacturers with inexpensive access to those raw materials. The materials include antimony, bauxite, indium, yellow phosphorous, magnesium, molybdenum, tungsten and rare earths. Trade tensions between China and the two Western governments have grown as the economic crisis crimps exports and sparks job cuts.

"China has made a specific commitment not to apply export restrictions on certain products and it is applying those restrictions, so it'll lose," said Daniel Crosby, a trade attorney at Budin & Partners in Geneva, who has represented clients on WTO compliance issues.

Unlevel Playing Field

Export restrictions, which have multiplied in recent years because of surging prices for raw materials, discourage companies from being more productive and competitive, according to the European Commission, the EU's trade authority. Such curbs drive up prices and choke off supplies of raw materials, which affects a broad range of finished products including airplanes, semiconductors, detergent and steel, the commission says.

In September, then EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson said China was failing to honor pledges it made on export constraints when it joined the WTO in 2001. He said he raised the issue "repeatedly" with the Chinese government. In December, the EU imposed five-year duties on steel pipes and tubes from China to help European producers including ArcelorMittal and Vallourec SA fend off cheaper imports.

Trade Ties

The EU is China's largest trading partner and China is the 27-nation bloc's second-biggest. Trade volume between the two governments grew to more than 326 billion euros ($455 billion) last year, according to the commission.

"The Chinese restrictions on raw materials distort competition and increase global prices, making things even more difficult for our companies in this economic downturn," EU Trade Commissioner Catherine Ashton said in a statement from Brussels. "I hope we can find an amicable solution to this issue through the consultation process."

China applied duties on EU imports worth 4.5 billion euros last year, the commission said. It also imposes quantitative restrictions on exports of bauxite, coke, fluorspar, silicon carbide and zinc. The industries in the EU that are potentially affected by the restrictions represent about 4 percent of the bloc's industrial activity and a half-million jobs.

Yesterday, China said it would reduce or scrap export taxes on a number of products including yellow phosphorous, molybdenum and tungsten starting on July 1. These items are included in the joint EU-U.S. complaint because the taxes are still in place, said a spokesman for the commission.

'Critical Step'

The Bush administration also tried to push China to cut quotas on the export of coke, silicon, tungsten and other products used to make steel, arguing that these caps give Chinese producers an unfair advantage. U.S. goods and services trade with China amounted to $410 billion in 2007, according to the latest data from the U.S. Trade Representative's office.

"For American industrial manufacturers, this is a critical step toward market equality," the USTR said today in a statement. "China's export restrictions on a broad range of raw materials have given unfair competitive advantages to their own manufacturers while raising the costs of doing business for U.S. companies, and we believe they violate bedrock WTO rules."

Chinese restrictions on raw materials and minerals are "just another way in which China favors its domestic manufacturing industries at the expense of the rest of the world," said five U.S. steel industry organizations including the American Iron and Steel Institute and the United Steelworkers.

No one from China's mission to the WTO in Geneva was available to comment.

Appeal Fails

The EU and the U.S. have also complained at the WTO about Chinese duties on imported auto parts and restrictions on foreign financial news providers.

China lost its appeal of the WTO's July 18 ruling that it was violating trade rules by requiring automakers operating there to buy most components from local suppliers or face higher duties. It was the first time China lost a case since it joined the WTO.

The case on media curbs was resolved in November, when the three governments reached what the EU called a "landmark agreement" that established a regulatory framework to ensure a level playing field for all operators in the Chinese market.

More WTO complaints against China are likely as the Asian nation tries to shield its industries from the effects of the global financial slump, Crosby said.

"China is reacting in the context of the financial crisis in a protectionist manner, and this exacerbates ongoing concerns on long-established violations and introduces new ones," he said. "In both cases, it presents a difficulty that I don't see getting any better."

US and EU threaten to launch a WTO case against China over export restrictions of raw materials such as Tungsten

2009-06-23T07:11:00.000-07:00

On Monday it was reported that the US and the European Union want to launch a World Trade Organization case against China over its export restrictions on raw materials. US Trade Representative Ron Kirk's office has scheduled a news conference at 9:15 am Eastern time regarding U.S.-China trade, at which industry sources expect the WTO case will be announced.

Earlier the United States and European Union tried to persuade China to reduce its export tariffs and raise quotas on materials including zinc, tin, tungsten and yellow phosphorous, says Reuters.

According to the report as the first step in the WTO action the US and EU would formally request negotiations with Beijing. In case these consultation fails the next step would be to apply to the WTO panel to hear the complaint. The latter can take years.

It has been for a long time that the critics cry out about China's artificially benefiting Chinese manufacturers by restricting exports of raw materials used in steel, semiconductors and other products.

Sultan Minerals restarts the drills on Its Tungsten-Molybdenum Property

2009-06-23T06:57:00.001-07:00

Sultan Minerals Inc. (TSX VENTURE:SUL)(FRANKFURT:RZN) ("Sultan") is pleased to announce that diamond drilling has resumed on its Jersey-Emerald Property in the Salmo area of British Columbia. Drilling is underway with a surface drill to investigate the potential of several new tungsten, zinc and molybdenum targets discovered in 2008 (to see the map associated with this press release, please click on the following link: http://www.sultanminerals.com/i/pdf/2009-06-23_NR-map.pdf).

Drill site preparation is currently underway and diamond drilling is scheduled to begin immediately. The program will initially involve drill testing three large new tungsten and zinc targets discovered by geochemical, geophysical and trenching programs completed in 2009 (see news release of February 17, 2009). Drilling is also planned for the recently acquired Victory Tungsten deposit and for targets discussed in the NI 43-101 Tungsten Resource Estimate released on January 21, 2009.

The Jersey-Emerald property is host to the historic Jersey Lead-Zinc Mine, British Columbia's second largest lead-zinc producer and the former Emerald Tungsten Mine, Canada's second largest tungsten mine. Year-round gravel roads and power lines cross the property and water is plentiful. Underground workings of the historic Jersey and Dodger deposits are in excellent condition allowing for future underground access with little rehabilitation.

The January 21, 2009, Tungsten Resource Estimate indicated remnant tungsten resource of 2,719,000 tons averaging 0.358% WO3, and an additional inferred resource of 2,320,000 tons averaging 0.341% WO3 at a 0.15% WO3 cutoff. Exploration completed in 2009 shows there is potential to significantly expand the tungsten resource with exploration in both the historically mined areas and the surrounding terrain.

A geological review of historic data from the Jersey Zinc mine is also underway. The purpose of the study is to evaluate the potential for remnant zinc mineralization within the historic mine and to identify potential drill targets adjacent to the former zinc workings. Drilling completed by Sultan in 2007 intersected widespread zinc mineralization marginal to the historic workings suggesting that important zinc mineralization may extend to the east, west and south of the former mine.

Perry Grunenberg, P.Geo., of PBG Geoscience from Kamloops, BC, is managing the exploration drill program and is Sultan's project supervisor and "Qualified Person" for the purpose of NI 43-101, "Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects". Mr. Ed Lawrence, P.Eng., former Manager of the Jersey and Emerald Tungsten Mines is supervising the geological review of the Jersey Zinc Mine.

Sultan has recently completed a financing through Northern Securities and is well financed to undertake the work programs planned for its projects.

For further information on Sultan's projects, visit www.sultanminerals.com.

Arthur G. Troup, P.Eng., Geological, President and CEO

Fund set up to benefit man’s children

2009-06-20T10:05:00.001-07:00

BY THE REVIEW

Published: Saturday, June 20, 2009 3:16 AM EDT

A memorial fund has been established to honor Todd Secules of Towanda, who died in a car accident on June 1, according to his co-workers at Global Tungsten & Powders Corp. in Towanda.

The fund, which is called the Secules Children Memorial Fund "has been established to benefit the five children Todd has left behind," said Diane M. Turner, a tungsten/molybdenum market specialist at GTP.

"With the youngest child being 10 years old, the money collected will be used to benefit Todd's children's education," she said.

Secules, 44, had worked at GTP for more than 21 years, she said. He held various production positions at the company, and was promoted in October 2008 to millwright.

Secules had been very active in Towanda Little League, where he both coached and officiated, Turner said.

Secules was a dedicated father and very active in his children's activities, she said.

One of Todd Secules' sons, Michael Secules, has completed his first year at Bloomsburg University, she said.

Another son, Jeremy Secules, graduated this month from Towanda High School and in joining his brother at Bloomsburg University.

A daughter, Sarah Secules, has just completed her sophomore year at Towanda High. She is a member of National Honor Society and the Towanda High School Track & Field team.

A third son, Nicholas Secules, enjoys sports, participating in football, baseball and wrestling.

And the youngest son, Nathan Secules, age 10, enjoys playing baseball.

Checks can be made out to the Secules Children Memorial Fund and sent directly to: C&N Bank, 428 Main St., Towanda, PA 18848.

The phone number of The Daily Review's newsroom is (570) 265-1632; the newsroom's e-mail address is reviewnews@thedailyreview.com

Tungsten Tussle

2009-06-19T10:52:00.001-07:00

By: Darlene Creamer

Published on 19th June 2009
Updated 17th June 2009

Residents and landowners are fiercely opposing the development of a tungsten mine in the Verlorenvlei valley, which is said to be one of the Western Cape's largest natural wetlands along South Africa's West Coast. The Verlorenvlei valley is a Ramsar site in terms of the international treaty for the conservation and sustainable use of wetlands. The opposition to the development of an opencast mine has resulted in the formation of the Verlorenvleivallei Coalition, which says that opposition to the proposed mine stems from the people of the valley relying on underground water for irrigation. They fear that mining could spoil that source.

Primorye tungsten co to get back license soon - Ishayev

2009-06-17T08:11:00.001-07:00

VLADIVOSTOK, June 17 (Itar-Tass) - The issue of the return of the ore extraction license to the Lermontov tungsten deposit in the Primorsky Territory will be considered in the coming days. This will make it possible to resume production at the Mining and Processing Combine in the Svetlogorye settlement, Russian president's plenipotentiary representative in the Far Eastern federal district Viktor Ishayev said on Wednesday after a meeting he held in the settlement with representatives of the owner of the enterprise, Primorsky Territory administration and trade union.

"On Friday, after our appeal to the Ministry of Natural Resources, the Federal Subsoil Use Agency (Rosnedra) will consider the issue of the return of the license to the owner," he promised. "The owner has assumed obligations and is preparing a project so that the enterprise could resume operation, but with the secondary resources, because the cost of product in this case will be lower. Consequently, it will be possible to lower the price and at the same time get profit and enter the market with this product," the RF president's plenipotentiary representative noted.

According to an agreement signed on Wednesday on the results of the meeting in Svetlogorye, from July 17 the property of the Russky Volfram (Russian Wolfram) company is transferred on lease to the territorial enterprise Primteploenergo for a term of 5 years. The sides assume the obligations to conclude before June 19 a contractor's agreement on the works linked with the exploitation of the Lermontov tungsten deposit, and from July 1 this year the former workers of the Russky Volfram branch are to begin their work in the new structure. Before July 1, 2009 the sides are to work out a plan of measures for the preparation of documentation for the resumption of extraction and processing of ore. The signed agreement also envisages a number of measures aimed at ensuring employment of the Svetlogorye population. Three wood processing enterprises and a branch of the Primavtodor company will soon start work in the settlement.

Ishayev stressed that "it is impossible to settle everything in one day." "The territorial administration has assume the obligation to immediately settle emerging social issues, and the office of the president' s plenipotentiary representative will control the fulfilment of these obligations," said the official adding that Russky Volfram is not the most complicated enterprise of the Primorsky Territory and the Far Eastern federal district.

He also noted that the "administration of the Primorsky Territory assumed the obligation to create additional jobs in the shortest possible time. The work is already being carried out. Several dozen additional jobs will be created at local enterprises of the forestry industry. It is planned to develop wood processing in Svetlogorye," the presidential plenipotentiary representative noted.

"The resumption of production at Russky Volfram, employment of those who lost jobs at the enterprise will finally make it possible to ease the social tension in the settlement," the official said. "We will provide support to the territorial administration in the settlement of social problems of Svetlogorye," Ishayev emphasised.

The owner of the Primorsky Territory's branch of the Russky Volfram enterprise has leased it for a term of five years to the Primteploenergo regional utility company.

Itar-Tass was told at the press centre of the administration of the Primorsky Territory on Tuesday that according to the document, the owner of the plant – the Russky Volfram tungsten company leases to Primteploenergo for 5 years the enterprise's key assets ensuring the production process.

The administration said that the rent will be "symbolical," but did not disclose the sum of the deal. "A special commission in the Svetlogorye settlement is currently engaged in stock taking of the enterprise's property," said the press centre.

According to the head of the trade union committee of the Svetlogorye enterprise, Leonid Otnyakin, the workers of the enterprise have "approved the decision on the transfer of the enterprise to a state-run structure for management." "The people who are tired of the lack of money, criminal omission and inefficient work of the owners of the enterprise, now have got confidence in the future," he said.

R1,3bn required for 'viable' but vigorously opposed Western Cape tungsten project

2009-06-12T15:34:00.000-07:00

An environmental-impact assessment (EIA) is currently under way to deter- mine the viability of mining a deposit of tungsten and molybdenum near Piketberg, in the Western Cape.

Withers Environmental Consulting is undertaking the EIA on behalf of black economically empowered junior miner Bongani Minerals, which successfully lodged a mining rights application for the tungsten deposit in April.

The project, dubbed the Riviera Tungsten Project, has an estimated reserve of 10,86- million tons with an average grade of between 0,28% and 0,31% of tungsten oxide, and is believed to be the sixth-largest tungsten deposit in the world.

In an interview with Mining Weekly, Aubrey Withers of Withers Environmental Consultants states that Bongani Minerals has appointed a number of reputable specialist consultants to assist with the EIA.

SRK Consulting has been appointed to undertake the hydrogeology study; Aurecon (formerly Ninham Shand Consulting Services) has been appointed to undertake the hydrology and water quality assessment of the proposed development; Dr Liz Day has been appointed to undertake the freshwater ecology studies; and Dr Charlie Boucher has been appointed to undertake the botanical studies.Read more...

Happy Creek Provides Additional Results From the Fox Tungsten Molybdenum Property

2009-06-12T15:32:00.001-07:00

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwire - June 11, 2009) - Happy Creek Minerals Ltd. (TSX VENTURE:HPY) (the "Company") is pleased to announce additional results from its 100% owned Fox tungsten-molybdenum property, located approximately 30 kilometres east of the past producing Boss Mountain molybdenum mine in south central British Columbia, Canada. The favorable location, geology, large scale and grades obtained to date are thought to reflect positively on its resource potential. (i)Recent prices for W03 (tungsten trioxide) and molybdenum are around US$9.00/lb, respectively.

In 2007 at the Nightcrawler-Discovery zone, the first drilling ever performed on the property returned positive results including 5.0 metres of 0.33% W03, 2.0 metres of 0.74% W03, 2.0 metres of 0.48% W03, 0.50 metres of 1.8% W03 and 1.7 metres of 0.51% molybdenum. Tabular shaped blocks of subcrop have returned values up to 12.778% molybdenum and 5.46% W03 and mineralization comes to surface. To date, thirteen widely spaced drill holes have returned anomalous to potentially economic values of tungsten or molybdenum in an area approximately 1.5 kilometres by 500 metres in dimension that remain undefined and open in extent. Geologically, this area is underlain by metasediment and calc silicate rocks that contain tungsten-molybdenum skarn and an important intrusive rock that is similar in age and associated mineralization as at the Boss Mountain mine to the west.

Results

The Ridley Creek area is approximately four kilometres north of the Nightcrawler-Discovery zone, and exploration in 2008 included soil geochemical surveys that filled-in and expanded upon the positive 2007 results. Here, three new showings over a distance of three kilometres, returned values up to 0.20 metres of 6.47% W03, 3.5 metres of 2.56% W03 and 1.0 metre of 3.70% W03, respectively (see press release dated November 28th, 2008 for additional results).

Soil geochemical samples were taken at 50 metre intervals along lines 100 to 200 metres apart. Positive tungsten values in soil are greater than 95th percentile, or 11 to greater than 100 ppm (parts per million) tungsten (W) (ii). One well defined northerly trending tungsten anomaly is 350 metres in width and 1.2 kilometres in length. It continues an additional 2.0 kilometres northward where it remains open in extent to the west and includes the known mineralized zones described above. Read more...

GEODEX BEGINS 5,000 METRE DRILL PROGRAM

2009-06-12T15:12:00.001-07:00

Primary goal is continuing resource upgrade
at Sisson Brook Tungsten–Molybdenum Deposit in New Brunswick

Geodex Minerals Ltd. (the ‘Company’) is pleased to announce that the first of two drills has moved on-site at the Sisson Brook tungsten-molybdenum deposit, located north of Fredericton, New Brunswick. The first drill has begun drilling with the second drill scheduled to arrive on June 15. The drilling program will consist of approximately 5,000 metres in 26 holes, scheduled to be completed in August. Sisson Brook is a large deposit and a series of drill programs have successively advanced the project from exploration into the development phase.

The goal of the drill program is three fold. The main purpose is to upgrade a portion of the current ‘Inferred’ resource to the ‘Indicated and Measured’ category for inclusion in the prefeasibility study that is being planned. Secondly, better definition of the higher grade areas in the deposit will potentially allow the Company to reduce the capital cost payback period. Drilling is also planned for targets adjacent to the Zone III and Ellipse Zones, the two most economically important zones in the Sisson Brook deposit.

Drilling done by the Company between 2005 and 2008 at Sisson Brook has led to the definition of an important resource of tungsten and molybdenum which is amenable to low-cost open-pit mining methods. Results of the most recent independent 43-101 – compliant Mineral Resource Estimate for the deposit was the subject of a News Release of January 27, 2009. The table below is a summary of the resource estimates for Zone III and the Ellipse Zone. Calculations are based on a cut-off grade of 0.125% WO3 equivalent.

Zone III and Ellipse Resources at 0.125% WO3 Equivalent Cutoff
Effective Date January 27th, 2008

Resource Category Tonnes (rounded) WO3 (%) Mo(%) %WO3 Equivalent 1
Measured 11,500,000 0.109 0.037 0.184
Indicated 79,500,000 0.107 0.035 0.176
Measured &
Indicated 91,000,000 0.107 0.035 0.177
Inferred 56,400,000 0.096 0.037 0.170
1 %WO3 Equivalent = %WO3 + (%Mo x 2.02)

About Sisson Brook
Sisson Brook is Geodex’s flagship property and is located in an area with excellent logistics and infrastructure for mine development. A skilled labour force combined with ready access to power, roads, railway, a deep water port and a good geographic location in a secure jurisdiction all position the project well to continue to advance in a timely fashion. A preliminary economic assessment report (Geodex News Release of March 2, 2009) outlines the potential for developing a mine which could become one of the Western world’s largest tungsten producers, as well as a significant producer of molybdenum. Both metals are fundamentally important for steel production and infrastructure development.
Jack Marr, MSc, PGeo, is the in-house qualified person for this project and Michael Cullen, MSc, PGeo, of Mercator Geological Services Ltd., is responsible for the resource estimate presented in this press release. Read more...

Colt Resources Inc. reports significant Gold, Tungsten and Tin values from multiple zones of mineralization on its Portuguese properties

2009-06-09T07:14:00.001-07:00

Colt Resources Inc. ("Colt" or the
"Company") is pleased to provide an update on property work completed during
the first 4 months of 2009 on their Penedono and Armamar Meda Concessions
located in northern Portugal.
    The Penedono Concession consists of 51.231km2 which represents a
reduction from the original concession area as an annual requirement under
Portuguese mining law. Colt has subsequently been successful in negotiating an
extension of the concession for an additional 3 years and has increased the
size of the concession to 102.471 km2. The Penedono Concession is partially
surrounded by the Armamar Meda Concession consisting of 436.81 km2 which in
turn is partially surrounded by the Moimenta-Almendra concession consisting of
566.58 km2.
   The combination of these three (3) concessions makes Colt the second
largest mining land owner in Portugal after Lundin Mining.
    The concessions which surround the town of Penedono are located
approximately 100 air km east from the coastal city of Porto.

   PENEDONO CONCESSION
   -------------------

   On the Penedono Concession at the Santo Antonio vein system, a number of
new discoveries have been reported covering vein clusters and sheeted vein
systems near the previously reported and partially explored NE / SW trending
veins 1-13. The new N/S to NNE/SSW veins are typically narrow (0.5 - 20 cm
thick) and steeply dipping. Their intensity and continuity is being
investigated for the potential of hosting several small open pits.
   One area lying between Veins 3 and 4 and located near the NE end of Vein
3 returned the following chip samples from the poorly exposed veins. This
cluster of samples was taken over an area of approximately 100 m x 200 m and
extensions to this vein swarm are being investigated. Read more...

Tungsten: An environmentally friendly solution

2009-06-05T10:33:00.001-07:00

A safer way to produce a bright surface

CHROME plating has long been used to show off everything from Harley-Davidson motorcycles to kitchen taps. This is not just because it can be buffed into a shine that you can see your face in. Chrome plating has been cheap to do, it ends up harder than steel and it is extremely durable because it resists corrosion. But working with the stuff can be an environmental nightmare.[...]

To predict which metals would form the nanocrystalline structures that they were searching for, Dr Schuh and his colleagues used computer models that put atoms from different metals together. Because this was done at such a small scale, the way the atoms interact can produce new and different properties according to the rules of quantum physics. They found that when tungsten was added to the nickel it produced a suitable structure. The bonus was that the mixture was capable of being plated and in a way that was more environmentally friendly.

Initial tests showed that when materials were coated in the nickel-tungsten alloy, using a modified electroplating technique that keeps its crystals particularly small, the plating remained stable indefinitely at room temperature. Nor did it easily degrade when exposed to great heat. The nickel-tungsten alloy can be extremely bright and shiny, and even made to become harder than chrome. All in all, its characteristics and absence of environmental hazards make it the most appealing replacement yet found for chrome. The researchers intend to report as much to a forthcoming conference of the National Association for Surface Finishing in Louisville, Kentucky.

Proof, though, will come with use. Testing is already under way, with the nanocrystalline nickel-tungsten alloy being tried out as a plating on the bumpers of a fleet of trucks. It could soon find its way onto kitchen taps and other shiny fixtures. And if it can get to ride on a Harley, then its future will be assured. Read more...

Tungsten tags avoid storm, hold steady

2009-06-05T09:09:00.001-07:00

New York Tungsten prices in the United States have surprisingly held steady over the past month and mostly avoided the sharp ups and down that have rocked other materials like vanadium and molybdenum, according to market sources.

Most traders said that ammonium paratungstate (APT) is still hovering around $160 per short ton unit (stu), unchanged from last month, although one trader said his company was getting a higher price but declined to give an exact figure.

"Fortunately we're busy," the trader said, "and tungsten prices amazingly are holding. Demand might not be what it was, but it's better than it has been."

Another trader, who put APT at around $160 per stu, said demand for tungsten was turning around as oil prices edged upward and approached $70 a barrel. Tungsten is used in drill bits, the trader noted, and more drills likely will be sold as oil companies increase exploration and production on the back of higher prices.

Tungsten also is used to make cutting tools for the automotive industry, the trader added, and once those companies receive bail-out money from the government "they'll want to start back up and get going again."

A third trader said he'd seen tungsten prices firm up over the past two to three months, although current prices are well below the $190 to $210 per stu reported in late March. "Tungsten has held up better than a lot of other metals," he said. "The price last year was less inflated than prices for vanadium and moly. The price for tungsten didn't bubble as much and so the adjustment wasn't as severe."

The trader was confident that tungsten demand would improve over the summer, although he acknowledged that a real recovery might not take hold until the fall.

Much like what happened among molybdenum miners, Chinese tungsten producers have closed many of their least-efficient mines and turned to importing concentrate to meet internal demand, which has provided a bit of a boost to tungsten sellers outside Asia, a trader said.

The trader couldn't say if rising demand from China was sustainable or just a momentary blip, "but hope springs eternal."

According to figures from the China Mining Association, Chinese exports of tungsten totaled 3,397 tons valued at more than $84.8 million in the first three months of this year. The volume dropped 14.6 percent from the same period last year, while the value was 25.7 percent lower. China produced almost 3.93 million tons of ferroalloys in the first quarter, a 7.1-percent decline from a year earlier.

Six killed illegally mining Tungsten in east China

2009-06-04T14:43:00.001-07:00

At least six people were killed as a result of illegal mining at an abandoned tungsten shaft Tuesday, work safety authorities in east China's Jiangxi Province said Thursday.

Police and work safety supervision officers found the bodies of six miners in the mine in Anfu County Tuesday night.

An initial investigation showed six miners, under two organizers, were digging underground and triggered the collapse at about 10 p.m. Tuesday, a statement from the provincial work safety supervision administration said.

The two organizers allegedly secretly moved the bodies to two nearby funeral homes and fled without reporting the accident to the authorities.

The victims were migrant workers from central Hunan Province.

Police are searching for the two organizers.

New Laser Treatment Could Make Incandescent Bulbs as Efficient as Fluorescent

2009-06-02T13:54:00.001-07:00

June 2, 2009
New approach offers more pleasant light of traditional bulbs without the energy guilt

Thanks to a bit of ingenuity, Chunlei Guo, associate professor of optics at the University of Rochester, and his assistant Anatoliy Vorobyev have been able to squeeze out fluorescent-like energy performance from an incandescent light bulb. The breakthrough boils down to a laser treatment of the bulb's tungsten filament, a processing step which could one day become a standard in the light bulb industry.

Traditionally, incandescent light bulbs provide more pleasant light, however they lack the efficiency of fluorescent designs. The new bulb offers the brightness and color of a 100 watt incandescent bulb while using less than 60 watts.

The key is to blast the tungsten filament with an ultra-fast, ultra-powerful laser, which creates beneficial nanostructures on the metal's surface. Describes Professor Guo, "We've been experimenting with the way ultra-fast lasers change metals, and we wondered what would happen if we trained the laser on a filament. We fired the laser beam right through the glass of the bulb and altered a small area on the filament. Read more...

Tungsten carbide coatings proven to increase tool life and reduce downtime and drilling operation

2009-06-01T15:04:00.001-07:00

June 1, 2009
Hardide Coatings (AIM:HDD) has been selected to present a paper at the world's largest corrosion conference CORROSION 2010 Conference and Expo, March 14-18, 2010 in San Antonio, Texas, USA. Dr Yuri Zhuk, Hardide's Technical Director will present 'Nano-structured CVD coating HARDIDE protects against wear and corrosion' in the 'Advances in Metallic Coatings and Hardsurfacings for Oilfield Applications Symposium'.

Commenting on his paper's acceptance, Dr Zhuk commented: "It is an honour to be selected to present a paper at such a prestigious event. Hardide is a family of CVD (chemical vapour deposition) tungsten carbide coatings proven to increase tool life and reduce downtime and drilling operation costs particularly in new frontier, severe drilling environments. As a cutting edge coating with an unrivalled combination of protective properties, it is highly relevant to this symposium." Read more...

Nickel Tungsten Alloy replace Chrome

2009-06-01T14:47:00.001-07:00

June 1, 2009

Ever since the 1940s, chrome has been used to add a protective coating and shiny luster to a wide range of metal products, from bathroom fixtures to car bumpers. Chrome adds beauty and durability, but those features come at a heavy cost. Though it's cheap to produce and harmless to consumers, the industrial process to create it is dangerous for workers and pollutes the environment.

Mr Christopher Schuh MIT associate professor of materials science and engineering said that "People have been trying to replace it for a very long time. The problem is that it's the only plated metal coating that has all of these properties, hardness, long lasting shine and corrosion protection."

Mr Schuh's team has shown that nickel tungsten alloys remain stable indefinitely at room temperature and are highly resistant to decomposition when heated. They can also be made harder and longer lasting than chrome. In addition, the electroplating process is more efficient than that for chrome, because multiple layers can be applied in one step, which could save money for manufacturers.

Mr Schuh and his colleagues have described the new process in several journal articles published over the past few years, and Schuh recently gave an overview of the technology in the spring 2009 Wulff Lecture, sponsored by MIT's Department of Materials Science & Engineering. Read more...

Maraging Steel For Iran

2009-05-30T05:34:00.000-07:00

May 30, 2009: Iran is building dozens of long range ballistic missiles each year, and is only able to do so by obtaining, despite UN and U.S. embargos, crucial raw materials and components. In the last year, Iranian attempts to smuggle several key missile components were aborted by U.S. and European investigations. These involved attempts to obtain nearly a hundred tons of metals that Iran could not produce itself (specialized aluminum alloys, tungsten-copper plates, tungsten metal powder and maraging steel) as well as hundreds of electronic components essential for missile control and guidance systems. Chinese firms supply some of these items, as well as help in buying and moving exotic materials from firms outside China, and getting the stuff to Iran. The U.S. has had success recently finding, and punishing (with huge fines), U.S., European and Chinese banks that secretly helped Iran carry out these illegal transactions. These efforts aren't stopping Iranian missile building, but are slowing it down, and making it a lot more expensive.

Positive project economics for Hazelwood Resources' Big Hill Deposit at current tungsten prices

2009-05-28T18:11:00.001-07:00

Thursday, May 28, 2009

Hazelwood Resources (ASX: HAZ) has indicated that early project parameters and forecast profit margins are robust for its 100% owned Big Hill Tungsten Deposit in Western Australia as it advances through a pre-feasibility study for the production tungsten concentrate. The PFS is expected to be completed around September 2009.

If mined. the deposit could produce 2-3% of the world's primary mined tungsten. Hazelwood has conducted focused drilling and metallurgical testwork programs at the Big Hill Tungsten Deposit.

A preliminary pit optimisation study shows the project can provide strong operating margins, even at today's relatively low tungsten price, with a five year mine life, with low strip ratios and demonstrated favourable metallurgy.

Low cash operating costs are indicated. Hazelwood recently announced a high quality Mineral Resource for the Big Hill Tungsten Deposit which is based on recent intensive drilling and 70% of the resource is within 100 metres of the surface. Only one third of the strike extent of the deposit has been resource
drilled. A brief drilling program will commence shortly to upgrade the Mineral Resource, which in turn is likely to increase the operational life to around 7 years.

The pre-feasibility study (PFS) is progressing according to schedule, following a recent successful placement to raise $3 million.

Investigator reveals Iran's chilling shopping list for banned technology

2009-05-25T09:13:00.001-07:00

Philip Sherwell in New York

May 26, 2009

A SENIOR US financial investigator has disclosed Iran's detailed shopping list for nuclear technology and missile parts after uncovering a vast procurement network for materials related to weapons of mass destruction.

Robert Morgenthau, the New York district attorney, provided a chillingly detailed account of how Iran was using a complex web of illicit overseas financial operations to skirt sanctions and buy banned equipment. Some of the materials that have already been obtained are believed to be central to Iran's attempts to build missiles capable of delivering nuclear warheads.

Iran successfully test-fired a sophisticated medium-range missile last week, thought to have been developed with the kind of technology traced by Mr Morgenthau's investigators.

The missile could deliver warheads to Israel and Europe or target Western forces in the Middle East and Afghanistan. Iranian nuclear scientists are working to develop longer-range missiles which could reach Western Europe.

The items identified in the investigation included 15,000 kilograms of specialised aluminium alloy, used almost exclusively in long-range missile production; 1700 kilograms of graphite cylinders used for banned electrical discharge machines; more than 30,000 kilograms of tungsten-copper plates; 200 tungsten-copper alloy hollow cylinders; 19,000 kilograms of tungsten metal powder and 24,500 kilograms of maraging steel rods, which are favoured for their superior strength.

Mr Morgenthau's office consulted weapons experts from the CIA, private institutions and universities about what it had uncovered. All of them were "shocked by the sophistication of the equipment they're buying", he told a hearing of the US Senate foreign relations committee.

Mr Morgenthau told US senators there was little time left to halt Tehran's atomic weapons program. "It's late in the game and we don't have a lot of time to stop Iran from developing long-range missiles and nuclear weapons," he told a recent Senate hearing. He described Iran's quest as "deadly serious". More...

Iran's nuclear weapons program six months away from completion. Having acquired tungsten-copper plates; tungsten-copper alloy hollow cylinders; and tungsten metal powder,

2009-05-24T10:52:00.001-07:00

Iran's Shopping List is exposed

By Philip Sherwell in New York

Robert Morgenthau, the New York district attorney who is heading a long-term investigation into the Islamic regime's complex web of illicit overseas financial operations, told US senators there was little time left to halt Tehran's atomic weapons programme.

His warning is all the more sobering as Iran last week successfully test-fired a sophisticated medium-range missile that could strike Israel, central Europe and Western forces in the Middle East and Afghanistan with warheads.

"It's late in the game and we don't have a lot of time to stop Iran from developing long-range missiles and nuclear weapons," Mr Morgenthau told a recent Senate hearing. He described Iran's quest as "deadly serious".

His unit's findings also highlight the risks facing President Barack Obama as he hopes to forge improved diplomatic relations with Tehran at the same time as Iran presses ahead with a nuclear programme.

Mr Obama issued a timetable for future talks with Iran for the first time last week, telling the visiting Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, that he expected to know by the end of the year whether Tehran was making "a good faith effort to resolve differences".

But some senior figures in Israel are now increasingly convinced that the Obama administration believes that a nuclear-armed Iran is inevitable.

Mr Morgenthau's investigation has brought to light a multi-billion-dollar scam under which Iran channelled funds through Western financial institutions to buy banned dual-use materials for its nuclear and missile programmes. Lloyds TSB has already agreed to pay a fine and forfeiture of $350 million (£220 million) for its role in helping to disguise transactions.

The investigation has revealed that the Iranians were negotiating to buy 400 gyrometers, 600 accelerometers and 100 pieces of the metal tantalum - crucial technology for building accurate long-range missiles that could deliver nuclear payloads.

Mr Morgenthau's unit, which has prosecuted several major US white-collar criminal cases, also established that LIMMT, a Chinese company that has long been a major supplier of banned weapons material to Iran, had shipped a long list of weapons-related materials to Iran after skirting international financial sanctions.

The items included 15,000 kgs of specialised aluminium alloy used almost exclusively in long-range missile production; 1,700 kgs of graphite cylinders used for banned electrical discharge machines; more than 30,000 kgs of tungsten-copper plates; 200 tungsten-copper alloy hollow cylinders; 19,000 kgs of tungsten metal powder and 24,500 kgs of maraging steel rods, which are favoured for their superior strength.

"It's the usual list of items that Iran needs for its missile and weapons programmes," said John Pike, director of globalsecurity.org, a private security research group. "Whether it's dual use or not is irrelevant. The Iranians are acquiring a glass half-full. They can use that stuff for what they want when they get it."

Mr Morgenthau's office has issued a 118-count indictment against LIMMT and its owner Li Fang Wei for allegedly misusing New York banks via front companies and supplying illicit missile and nuclear technology to Iran. But there are believed to be other targets of the "broad and ongoing" investigation.

His office consulted weapons experts from the CIA, private institutions and universities about what it had uncovered. They were "shocked by the sophistication of the equipment they're buying", he told a hearing of the Senate foreign relations committee.

Those findings were backed up by a staff report by the same committee.

It concluded that Iran could produce enough weapons-grade material to make a bomb within six months and that the regime was operating a "a broad network of front organisations" to purchase weapons material.

Nicholas Burns, the former top American diplomat on Iran, gave a blunt assessment of Iran's motives at the hearing. "I do see the Iranians as a real threat to our country," he said. "There is no question they are seeking a nuclear weapons capability. No one doubts that. They are the principal funder of most of the Middle East terrorist groups that are shooting at us, shooting at the Israelis and the moderate Palestinians.

"And they are influential in Iraq and Afghanistan and sometimes in ways that are very negative to US interests."

The US, Israel, Britain and other Western European nations believe that Iran is secretly developing atomic weapons but Tehran insists that its nuclear programme is for civilian energy purposes.

The regime has recently been focusing on developing reliable medium and long-range missiles as last week's successful test-fire and the deals uncovered by Mr Morgenthau confirm.

The successful launch of the Sejil-2 rocket, which has an estimated 1,200 mile range and a new navigation system and sophisticated sensors, was further sign of its growing missile capacity, weapons experts said.

Iran is moving away from the liquid-fuelled Shahab-3 obtained from North Korea using Pakistani technology, to solid fuel rockets as they are easier to store, move, hide and assemble - and thus harder for Israel or others to target if they launched air strikes.

Mr Netanyahu reiterated Israel's concerns that Iran would soon cross the "no return" threshold for nuclear weapon know-how in his talks with President Obama in Washington. But there is a growing suspicion in Israel that the White House now believes that a nuclear-armed Tehran is inevitable and is preparing policy for dealing with that reality.

"The Americans are in a state of mind according to which Iran has already gone nuclear," Dr Mordechai Kedar, a 25-year veteran of Israeli military intelligence now based at Bar-Ilan's Begin Sadat Center for Strategic Studies, told The Jerusalem Post. "Obama has given up."

Emily Landau, director of the Arms Control and Regional Security Program at Tel Aviv University's Institute for National Security Studies, said: "Even at the official level, [US Secretary of State Hillary] Clinton is on record as saying that the chances of success for negotiations with Iran are very small. If you're going into negotiations which you say ahead of time will likely fail, you're giving the sense that you might not be doing everything possible [to stop the Iranian nuclear programme].

"The US administration is projecting some kind of sense that they're not taking these negotiations seriously enough. If they just go through the motions, but they don't believe talks will succeed, that is worrisome," she said.

New nickel-tungsten alloy offers alternative to chrome

2009-05-19T23:32:00.000-07:00

Anne Trafton, News Office
May 19, 2009

Ever since the 1940s, chrome has been used to add a protective coating and shiny luster to a wide range of metal products, from bathroom fixtures to car bumpers.

Chrome adds beauty and durability, but those features come at a heavy cost. Though it's cheap to produce and harmless to consumers, the industrial process to create it is dangerous for workers and pollutes the environment.

"People have been trying to replace it for a very long time," says Christopher Schuh, MIT associate professor of materials science and engineering. "The problem is that it's the only plated metal coating that has all of these properties -- hardness, long-lasting shine and corrosion protection."

Until now, that is. Schuh and his collaborators have developed a new nickel-tungsten alloy that is not only safer than chrome but also more durable. The new coating, which is now being tested on the bumpers of a truck fleet, could also replace chrome in faucet fixtures and engine parts, among other applications.

Chromium risks

Manufacturers have long had a love/hate relationship with chromium plating, which is a $20 billion industry.

Electroplating, the technique used to coat metal objects with chrome, involves running a current through a liquid bath of chromium ions, which deposits a thin layer of chrome on the surface of an object placed in the bath.

The ions, known as hexavalent chromium, are carcinogenic if inhaled, and contact with the liquid can be fatal. Hexavalent chromium can pollute groundwater, and some of the original Superfund cleanup sites involved hexavalent chromium pollution. "It's an environmental nightmare," says Schuh.

Manufacturers have put up with the mess and the safety hazards, which require strict handling precautions, because of chrome's unique properties.

Chrome's hardness -- it is considerably harder than steel -- comes from its nanocrystalline structure. Schuh and his group set out to duplicate that structure with a material that could be easily and safely electroplated.

They started with nanocrystalline nickel, but nickel on its own, though very hard when first plated, loses its hardness as the crystals gradually expand from nanoscale to microscale. Using computer models developed to predict material properties, Schuh settled on a nickel-tungsten alloy that is environmentally friendly and proved to be even more durable than chrome.

Nickel-tungsten alloys

Schuh's team has shown that nickel-tungsten alloys remain stable indefinitely at room temperature and are highly resistant to decomposition when heated. They can also be made harder and longer lasting than chrome.

In addition, the electroplating process is more efficient than that for chrome, because multiple layers can be applied in one step, which could save money for manufacturers.

"Not only do you get rid of the environmental baggage but you make a better product as well," says Schuh.

Schuh and his colleagues have described the new process in several journal articles published over the past few years, and Schuh recently gave an overview of the technology in the spring 2009 Wulff Lecture, sponsored by MIT's Department of Materials Science and Engineering.

The technology could be used to coat other products including shock absorbers and print rolls. Recent tests showed that print rolls coated with the new alloy lasted 10 times longer than their chrome-plated counterparts.

Another field of potential applications is electronics, particularly connectors for portable electronics (the jacks where power cords, headphones and other accessories are plugged in). Those connectors are now coated with a layer of gold, which must be thick to help prevent the corrosion of an inner layer of brass. Layering the nickel-tungsten alloy between the gold and brass layers could reduce corrosion and offer significant savings for electronics manufacturers by allowing them to use thinner layers of gold.

Schuh's collaborators on the new metal coating technology include Andrew Detor, a recent PhD graduate in materials science and engineering, and Alan Lund, a former MIT postdoctoral researcher and the current chief technology officer at Xtalic Corporation of Marlborough, Mass., which has commercialized the nickel-tungsten plating process.

Wesgo Metals develops new drill bit manufacturing process

2009-05-19T23:29:00.000-07:00

05/19/2009

FAIRFIELD, New Jersey -- Wesgo Metals has developed a manufacturing process for the production of high-strength, high-purity alloys for drill bits.

The stringent process control allows for highly controlled purity and consistent braze temperatures, resulting in alloys that exhibit high tolerance and a more reliable drill bit, as required for brazing Polycrystalline diamond cutters (PDC) to Tungsten, the company says. Wesgo is able to tool and stamp in-house, as well as offer materials in ductile foil form.

U.S. companies selling products using tungsten, to disclose the country of origin of the materials to the SEC.

2009-05-19T08:14:00.001-07:00

Lifting the 'Resource Curse'
Marina Litvinsky

Four new countries have joined the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI), a global effort to set concrete standards for the transparent management of revenues from the oil, gas and mining sectors.

Albania, Burkina Faso, Mozambique and Zambia joined the list of 26 candidate countries now implementing the EITI process, the EITI board announced Monday in Washington.

"The EITI gives governments and citizens a sorely-needed blueprint for legitimate dialogue about the management of natural resources," said Karin Lissakers, director of the non-profit Revenue Watch Institute.

"Without a healthy conversation between civil society and policymakers, the countries richest in oil and mineral wealth remain the most vulnerable to all forms of economic, political, and social exploitation and unrest," she said.

The EITI board held a series of meetings with diverse stakeholders in Washington last week, hosted by the bank. The bank has been a supporter of EITI since it was put forward in 2002.

"I am encouraged that more countries from Africa and other regions of the world are joining the EITI process and recognising the benefits of greater transparency in the extractive industries sector," said Somit Varma, World Bank director for oil, gas, and mining.

"It is, however, only when countries take full ownership of this voluntary initiative that it can succeed. The World Bank is committed to supporting governments in this effort," he said.

It was also announced that three new countries would become donors to support EITI implementation through the bank.

Ten donor countries and the European Commission currently provide funding to the World Bank-administered EITI Multi-donor Trust Fund (MDTF), which provides technical assistance for implementation - Australia, Belgium, Canada, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Britain and the European Commission.

Finland just joined as a donor country, and the U.S. and Switzerland will be joining the donor group soon.

An important theme at the series of meetings was planning for EITI validation, the oversight mechanism for country implementation. Twenty-one of the EITI candidate countries are facing a deadline in March 2010 to complete EITI validation.

Through EITI, countries bring together companies, civil society and government representatives to monitor and account for payments being made to governments by extractives companies operating in their country.

Countries that have met all of the reporting and operational indicators set out under the EITI guidelines and completed a rigorous validation process are then considered to be EITI compliant, establishing that a country's revenue reporting standards in its extractive sector have achieved a greater level of transparency.

In February, oil-rich Azerbaijan was named the first EITI compliant country.

"It is impressive to see all the efforts in EITI implementing countries to prepare for validation and meet the EITI standard. The international community recognises such efforts and supports these governments and their stakeholders in their implementation of the EITI," said Dr Peter Eigen, EITI board chairman.

According to the bank, 3.5 billion people live in countries rich in oil, gas and minerals.

For some time now Africa's natural resource abundance has caused it to suffer from what many call the "resource curse". The exportation of these resources has contributed to widespread poverty, corruption, conflict and environmental degradation across the country.

In 2000, the situation in Africa was brought to light when the U.N. General Assembly recognised that "conflict diamonds" are a crucial factor in prolonging brutal wars in parts of Africa. In Angola and Sierra Leone, conflict diamonds fund the purchase of arms and other illegal activities by rebel groups.

Likewise, in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), armed groups profit from the sale of the "conflict minerals" tin, tantalum, tungsten, and gold, which are used in electronics around the world, by forcibly controlling the mines and exacting bribes, or taxes, from transporters, local and international buyers, and border controls.

Members of the EITI see it as a way for their countries to attract much-needed foreign investment, which has dwindled in the recent economic downturn.

"Mining companies are indispensable partners in development," said Ernest Bai Koroma, president of Sierra Leone, at a recent groundbreaking ceremony of the African Minerals Company, Ltd.

"The partnership between them and the government works best in an atmosphere of trust and integrity," he said. "That is why my government took the decision to increase transparency in the exploitation of our mineral resources through our membership of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) and the recent review of mineral rights."

However, some caution that if citizens are to truly benefit from their countries' resources, all participants in their extraction and sale must agree to full disclosure and accountability.

"Joining the EITI is a first step, and one that sends a strong signal of government's commitment to transparency," said Obiageli Katryn Ezekwesili, Africa regional vice president of the bank, in an editorial for The Independent.

"Going further, if citizens are to reap the benefits from mining revenues, transparency is needed throughout the entire resource stream, from how contracts are awarded and monitored, to how taxes and royalties are collected, to how investment choices are made and executed," she said.

Earlier this month, in an effort to stem the flow of money from mineral mines fueling the DRC's brutal civil war, the U.S. Senate announced new bipartisan legislation that would force U.S. companies to track and disclose the country of origin of minerals used in common electronic products.

The Congo Conflict Minerals Act that would require U.S. companies selling products using tin, tantalum or tungsten, to disclose the country of origin of the materials to the Securities and Exchange Commission. The legislation would also require the State Department to closely monitor the financing of armed groups in mineral-rich areas of eastern Congo.

www.ManagingExpectations.com

China to cap output of mineral resources in 2009

2009-05-11T12:30:00.001-07:00

May 11, 2009 (China Knowledge) - China's Ministry of Land and Resources (MLR) announced in an online statement published on Wednesday that it would put a ceiling on the output of mineral resources such as tungsten, antimony and rare earth metals this year for the protection and reasonable use of these minerals amid the weak demand.

The nation's output of tungsten ore concentrate (that is, ore with tungsten trioxide content above 65%) will be restricted to 68,555 tons in 2009, while that of antimony ore will be limited to 90,180 tons this year, according to the statement.

The ministry it will also impose a ceiling of 82,320 tons on rare earth ore.

China, the largest antimony producer in the world, boasts 40.5% of the world's proven tungsten reserves and 52 million tons of proven rare earth reserves, which represents approximately 58% of the world's total.

The MLR said that it would cease accepting license applications for the mining of these resources until Jun. 30, 2010.

The ministry said it would strictly enforce the new restrictions, and that those who go against the rules will be penalized.

www.chinaknowledge.com

www.ManagingExpectations.com

Metallica lifts stake in Queensland Ores, improves funding proposal

2009-05-10T20:25:00.001-07:00

8th May 2009

JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – ASX-listed Metallica Minerals had improved its funding proposal for takeover target Queensland Ores, and raised its stake in the tungsten and molybdenum producer.

The company said on Friday that it planned to waive the minimum acceptance conditions, which would have seen Metallica acquire a minimum of 90% of Queensland Ores shares on issue and would have prohibited other shareholders to hold more than 10% interest in Queensland Ores, if it received acceptances during the offer period which took its relevant interest to at least 40% of all shares.

This new offer was down from the 50,1% minimum acceptance conditions proposed during April of this year. Read more...

China puts ceiling on 2009 output of tungsten, antimony, rare earth

2009-05-07T12:00:00.000-07:00

BEIJING, May 7 (Xinhua) -- China said Thursday it would impose a ceiling on the output of mineral resources like tungsten, antimony and rare earth in 2009 amid shrinking demand.

The move is aimed to protect China's reserves of these minerals, the Ministry of Land and Resources said in an online statement.

The country's tungsten ore concentrate output is limited to 68,555 tonnes this year; rare earth ore to 82,320 tonnes, and antimony ore to 90,180 tonnes, said the ministry.

These quotas on output were based on decreasing demand across the world as a result of the ongoing global financial crisis, said the ministry.

The ministry said it would also not take any license applications before June 30, 2010 for exploring the three resources.

China holds 40.5 percent of the world's proven tungsten reserves, and is the world's biggest antimony producer. The nation has a proven rare earth reserve of 52 million tonnes, or about 58 percent of the world's total.

The country started to cap the annual output of tungsten in 2002 and that of rare earth in 2006. It is the first time such restrictions have been placed on antimony.

The ceiling on tungsten ore concentrates (with tungsten trioxide content above 65 percent) last year was 66,850 tonnes, and that on rare earth ore at 87,620 tonnes.

The ministry said such caps are intended to stabilize global demand and supply of these products and ensure their sustainable use.

www.chinaview.cn

American prosecutors have indicted a Chinese citizen for shipping tungsten, used for making rocket components, to Iran.

2009-05-02T11:55:00.001-07:00

May 2, 2009: American prosecutors have indicted a Chinese citizen for running a missile component related smuggling operation. The defendant shipped critical metals, like tungsten, used for making rocket components, to Iran. The defendant mislabeled scrap metal as stuff that was legal to sell to Iran. The U.S. is uncovering more of these Iranian smuggling operations, partly because more pressure is being brought on banks to report suspected cases of illegal arms (and weapons components) trading. The Chinese firms used American banks to create false company accounts, in order to hide the metal shipments from UN and U.S. officials enforcing the embargo.

Ever since the U.S. embargo was imposed in 1979 (after Iran broke diplomatic protocol by seizing the American embassy), Iran has sought, with some success, to offer big money to smugglers who can beat the embargo and get needed industrial and military equipment. This is a risky business, and American and European prisons are full of Iranians, and other nationals, who tried, and often failed, to procure forbidden goods. The smuggling operations are currently under more scrutiny, and attack, because of Iran's growing nuclear weapons program. But the Iranians simply offer more money, and more smugglers step up to keep the goodies coming.

www.ManagingExpectations.com

China Has Made An Inroad Into Australia That, If Successful, Will Give It Overwhelming Control of The World's Supply Of Rare Earth Elements For A Long Time To Come.

2009-05-01T16:05:00.001-07:00

China today produces at least 95% of the world's supply of rare earth elements from its domestic mines primarily in Inner Mongolia.China today produces at least 95% of the world's supply of rare earth elements from its domestic mines primarily in Inner Mongolia. At the beginning of 2008 two very large Australian REE mines were well on the way to coming into production. Either one of them would eventually have been the largest single-point mine for REEs in the world. One of the Australian companies was also beginning construction of a REE refinery in Malaysia, which would have been the largest in the world outside of China. Control of the shares of both of the Australian companies is now coming into hands of state owned aggressive Chinese mining and trading entities. It has been predicted that Chinese domestic demand for REEs will exceed its domestic production in the next 2-4 years. That is precisely how long it will take for the two Australian mines and the Malaysian refinery to be brought into production. Three significant REE mining possibilities, only, now remain out of Chinese control.

[...] Today's announcement that Lynas will receive funding and Chinese bank guarantees for A$515 million enabled through a purchase of 51% of its shares by CNMC, China Nonferrous Mining Company, a state owned entity that already owns shares in other non-Chinese producers of strategic and critical metals, such as Canada's North American Tungsten, is a dramatic reinforcement of China's strategy to insure that its domestic supplies of REEs are not interrupted by its domestic demand exceeding its domestic production.

Foolish Western financiers and industrialists who ignore the significance of these moves are under the illusion that the object of the Chinese state-owned entities in purchasing non Chinese sources of natural resources is to make money in the free market. In fact the object of these moves is, as i said above, to insure against supply interruption. If and only if there are surpluses of the metals produced will Chinese shareholders vote to sell them into the open market.[...] Read more...

Hazelwood X-ray feed sorting trials a success

2009-04-29T05:35:00.001-07:00

Hazelwood says it has successfully used X-ray sorting on a wider range of feed sizes on low grade feed from the Big Hill Tungsten Deposit.
According to Hazelwood, the successful trial of X-ray sorting means the low grade material can be upgraded into mill feed. As a result, a wider range of materials from Big Hill could be bulk mined and processed.
Hazelwood says the latest X-ray sorting tests were conducted on representative samples of crushed, low grade drill core. The results confirmed that feed sizes up to 60mm can undergo significant upgrading.
X-ray and optical sorting are pre-concentration techniques which have been successfully applied at operating tungsten mines.
X-ray sorting reduces the required size of the milling and beneficiation circuit, reduces grinding costs, lowers the demand for water, and results in smaller wet tailings storage facilities.

www.ManagingExpectations.com

Tungsten Rings are a Breakthrough in Jewelry Technology

2009-04-28T13:02:00.001-07:00

Brea, CA (PRWEB) April 27, 2009 -- TungstenWorld.com, the leading manufacturer and retailer of online tungsten jewelry, today announced they will launch a series of high resolution videos to demonstrate the durability of their tungsten rings. The new videos will feature different methods to damage and abuse jewelry and illustrate the strength and integrity of tungsten. The new videos will give customers a detailed perspective on what type of damage different precious metals can withstand without having to damage their existing jewelry.

New Video Demonstrates the Durability of Tungsten

The videos feature a variety of tests performed on an array of different precious metals. The precious metals include white gold wedding bands, titanium rings, and tungsten carbide rings. To illustrate the strength and integrity of tungsten, the new videos will feature different methods of damaging the jewelry. The experiments will include the file and scratch resistance test as well as high impact from a hammer trial to prove the superior strength of tungsten carbide. Read more...

"Tungsten producer Queensland Ores" - largest shareholder accepts Metallica offer

2009-04-27T06:22:00.000-07:00

Brisbane-based Metallica Minerals Ltd is one step closer to acquiring molybdenum and tungsten miner Queensland Ores Ltd (QOL), after the target's largest shareholder, Talbot Group Holdings Pty Ltd, accepted Metallica's offer.

Ken Talbot's investment company Talbot Group has accepted the offer of one share for every 22 QOL shares, which is a 25 per cent premium to Outback Metals' rival bid of one share for every four QOL shares, valuing the target at $3.86 million.

Metallica now holds a 10.36 per cent stake in QOL, and will offer $1 million in cash funding to QOL, as well as waiving minimum acceptance conditions, once acceptance reaches 50.1 per cent.

Staff Reporter

Submitted by - MangingExpectations.com

Hazelwood claims biggest tungsten resource

2009-04-21T21:50:00.001-07:00

Hazelwood Resources is claiming its Big Hill tungsten deposit in the Pilbara is the largest measured source of the metal in Australia.

Increasing its forecasts, Hazelwood said the deposit held a total mineral resource of 8.97 million tonnes, representing 1.6 million metric tonne units of tungsten at cut-off grade, or 2.5 million metric tonne units at a lower grade.

The forecasts are a jump from earlier estimates, which put the total resource at five million mtu and and 800,000 mtu of cut-off grade tungsten.

"We are absolutely delighted with the resource," Hazelwood executive chairman Mark McAuliffe said in a statement.

"This certainly makes us the largest measured resource of tungsten in Australia," he said, although larger sources were indicated in other areas.

He said the company was completing a preliminary feasibility study, which should be finalised by October this year.

First production likely in the second half of 2010 or early 2011, Mr McAuliffe said.

The Big Hill deposit has 70 per cent of its resource within 100 metres of the surface, the company said.

Hazelwood shares closed up two cents, or 13.33 per cent, at 17 cents.

AAP

Geodex Increases Tungsten Land Position

2009-04-21T12:12:00.001-07:00

April 21, 2009

News Release Video Presentation

Christopher R. Anderson - V.P. Business Development presents and explains the News Release from April 21, 2009.

Please click on the picture to listen to the presentation.

Geodex Minerals Ltd. (the “Company”) reports that it has entered into an option agreement to acquire a 90% interest in the Flume Ridge property, located in Charlotte County, New Brunswick. The property is comprised of 63 claim units optioned from Southfield Resources Ltd. and Campfire Resources Ltd. (collectively the “Optionors”).

The Company can earn its 90% interest by paying the Optionors a total of $30,000 and 150,000 Geodex shares over a three year option period. The Optioners are carried on their 10% retained interest in the Property to the start of commercial production. Minimum work commitments by Geodex are $20,000 in year one and $100,000 by the end of year three. The Optioners will retain a 2.0% Net Smelter Royalty of which Geodex will have the right to purchase up to 1% at any time, for the sum of $500,000 per 0.5%.

The Flume Ridge property lies immediately northwest of the Company’s Mount Pleasant West project and near the formerly-producing Mount Pleasant tungsten-molybdenum mine, owned by Adex Mining Inc. Flume Ridge claims cover an area of tungsten anomalies in soil and stream sediment samples found by government surveys. The anomalies are found in the vicinity of several isolated aeromagnetic anomalies which may reflect buried intrusions. This part of the province has not previously been systematically explored for tungsten deposits.

Widely-spaced soil samples collected by the Optioners show tungsten values ranging up to 33 ppm over a length of about 500m. Multiple float boulders of calc-silicate sedimentary rocks found within the soil anomaly contain scheelite in quartz veins and have returned tungsten assays up to 0.86% WO3.

Geodex believes there is good potential for intrusion and skarn-hosted tungsten deposits at Flume Ridge and is planning a program of prospecting and soil geochemistry to identify drill targets on the property.

Neil Humphreys, M.Sc., P. Geo. is the in-house QP for the project in relation to N.I. 43-101
resources. Read more...

Novellus' CoolFill CVD Process Advances Tungsten Fill for Sub-32nm High Aspect Ratio Structures

2009-04-20T11:38:00.000-07:00

Figure 1: Cross sectional TEM images comparing 32 nm, 18:1 aspect ratio contacts processed using Standard and CoolFill CVD. (PRNewsFoto/Novellus Systems, Inc.)

SAN JOSE, CA UNITED STATES

SAN JOSE, Calif., April 16 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- As semiconductor devices scale to the 32nm technology node and beyond, shrinking contact and via dimensions make chemical vapor deposition (CVD) of tungsten more challenging. Increasing aspect ratios can lead to voids or large seams within device features, resulting in lower yields and decreased performance in microprocessor and memory chips. The International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors (ITRS) calls for 32nm stacked capacitor DRAM contacts to have aspect ratios of greater than 20:1. Logic devices, though not as aggressive as DRAM, will still have challenges in maintaining low resistivity contacts as aspect ratios grow to more than 10:1. Void-free fill that meets the required electrical properties in aggressive features like these will be problematic using conventional CVD tungsten deposition techniques. Read more...

Vital, Aragon team up on tungsten prospect

2009-04-20T09:11:00.000-07:00

By: Esmarie Swanepoel

15th April 2009

JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – Tungsten explorer Vital Metals will team up with ASX-listed Aragon Resources to take advantage of opportunities in tungsten mining in North Queensland, the companies said on Wednesday.

The association would facilitate a medium- to long-term restructuring of activities, specifically to allow the Watershed scheelite project, in Queensland, to reach its full potential in the global tungsten market.

Aragon Resources would now become Vital’s major shareholder through a two part funding process, and would provide its cash requirements of up to $936 250 for the medium term.

Aragon Resources will subscribe for placement of 17,45-million shares in Vital, representing a 15% interest in the current issued capital, at 2,5 c a share, to raise $436 250.

The company would also subscribe to a convertible not for $500 000. The convertible not is unsecured, has a term of three years, and was not convertible within the first 12 months. The note also carried a coupon rate of 6% payable quarterly in arrears.

Vital stated that the note was convertible at the higher of 4 c a share, or 80% of the volume weighted average price for the month prior to conversion.

With Aragon Resources now holding a substantial share in the company Vital will appoint at least one director, nominated by Aragon Resources, to its board.

Aragon believed that the Watershed project held the potential to be developed as a long-term and significant producer of scheelite concentrate. Read more...