MINING

Gulf Drilling Guides: Oilwell Fishing Operations: Tools, Techniques, and Rules of Thumb

2011-11-21T14:24:00.000-08:00

No fishing job is a welcome operation, but this new edition of a classic reference helps you do the job efficiently and economically. This practical guide is packed with illustrations and descriptions of fishing equipment and tools to help you solve just about any fishing problem. Foremen, engineers, and superintendents who write procedures, make drilling decisions, and supervise operations will find this handy book invaluable, and trainees will find it an excellent learning manual.

Oilwell Fishing Operations tells how to free stuck pipe, part the pipe string, and repair casing. It describes the various types of catching tools, jars, mills, junk, baskets, and hydrostatic and rotating bailers, along with washover operations, wireline fishing, fishing in cavities, and fishing in high angle deviated and horizontal wells. The author's tips and warnings are sure to save you time and money in avoided misruns, downtime, and lost equipment.

* Currently, there is no other book on the market focused only on oilwell fishing operations.

* Covers all of the best practices for oilwell fishing operations and all of the latest equipment.

* The first book in the "Gulf Drilling Guides" series, the first, last, and only stop for the drilling engineer with a problem to solve.

RockBridge Commences Rework of Pembina Well

2009-07-26T18:54:00.000-07:00

Top Mining News: Are you looking for news on oil wells in the Pembina? This is the news on oil wells in the Pembina. Are you interested in this oil wells in the Pembina? read the further news below:

RockBridge Energy Inc. announces that today it is commencing the rework program on one of its oil wells in the Pembina area of Alberta that previously produced until 2004. The work, with a crew and service rig onsite, includes abandoning the lower former producing zone and perforating 5 metres of the Belly River formation, followed by swab testing. Indications are good for the program with Belly River production historically prolific in the vicinity of the Pembina well.

RockBridge will provide update news releases as the rework program and testing proceed.

A Great Quest Subsidiary is Granted an Autorisation d’Exploration on a Malian Phosphate Concession

2009-07-26T18:51:00.000-07:00

A Great Quest Subsidiary is Granted an Autorisation d’Exploration on a Malian Phosphate Concession

Top Mining News: Are you looking for news on phosphate concession? This is the news on phosphate concession. Are you interested in this phosphate concession information? read the further news below:

Willis W. Osborne, President of Great Quest Metals Ltd., announce that the Malian Government granted an Autorisation d’Exploration on a 230 square kilometre phosphate concession, designated as the Tin Hina concession, in the Tilemsi area, eastern Mali, West Africa to Engrais Phosphates du Mali-SA. Great Quest holds an 88% interest in Engrais Phosphates du Mali-SA.

A preliminary exploration survey, as required under the terms of the permit, has been completed. During the program, Company geologists outlined a substantial occurrence of phosphate rock on top of a 4,000 x 7,000 metre hill. A total of 58 samples from 6 pits and 31 outcrops were taken within the concession during the program. The samples have been submitted for assay to determine the content of P2 O5, contained mainly in the mineral, apatite.

The Company will not be acquiring either the Tamaguilelt phosphate deposit or the 36,000 tonne-per-year phosphate plant in Bourem; nevertheless, it will continue to evaluate the Tin Hina concession as well as other phosphate opportunities in the area. This strategic acquisition will help position the Company in the very important fertilizer sector within the agricultural industry.

Kria Resources to Commence Trading on TSX Venture Exchange

2009-07-26T18:28:00.000-07:00

Top Mining News: Are you looking for news on Kria Resources Ltd., a base metal exploration and development company ? This is the news on metal exploration. Are you interested in this metal exploration? read the further news below:

Kria Resources Ltd., a base metal exploration and development company focused on high-quality, advanced-stage base metal assets announce that following the closing of its business combination (the “Reverse Take-Over”) with Beartooth Platinum Corporation (”Beartooth”), Kria common shares will commence trading on the TSX Venture Exchange under the stock symbol KIA at market open on Friday, July 24, 2009 and the common shares of Beartooth will be delisted.

In connection with the Reverse Take-Over, Beartooth consolidated its share capital on the basis of one new common share for every 20 old common shares and changed its name to Kria Resources Ltd.

The Operations at the Kalsaka Gold Mine by Cluff Gold plc

2009-07-21T19:56:00.000-07:00

Top Mining News: Are you looking for news on Gold Mining? This is the news on Gold mining exploration. Are you interested in this Gold mining information? read the further news below:

Cluff Gold plc, the West African focused gold mining company announces that, as at 30 June 2009, the operations at the Kalsaka Gold Mine have reached the required standard at which successful commissioning has been achieved.

Gold was first poured at the Kalsaka Gold Mine in October, 2008 and since that time performance has incrementally increased each month.

Total gold production for the first 6 months of 2009 amounted to 26,772 ounces at a cash operating cost of US$595 per ounce (US$632 per ounce including royalty and refining charges). Forecast production for the full year is 60,000 ounces.

“The successful commissioning of the Kalsaka Gold Mine is a direct result of a strong team that has worked diligently to advance this project from development into operations,” said Mr. Algy Cluff, Chairman and CEO of Cluff Gold plc. “However, this is just phase one as it is our intention to increase the capacity of the plant at Kalsaka and to increase our resource base such that the Kalsaka Gold Mine becomes the hub for the development of satellite deposits in this area. With the increased throughput, we believe we will achieve better than our forecast production for the year and lower cash cost per ounce.”

Kalsaka Gold Mine

The Kalsaka Gold Mine is located approximately 150km north west of Ouagadougou, the capital of Burkina Faso, and contains an oxide gold mineral resource that has already been demonstrated, by a feasibility study, to be technically amenable to open-pit mining and processing via heap leaching. The Company poured the first gold in October of 2008. The projected annualized gold production is 60,000 ounces. The mine has total measured and indicated resource of 12.1 million tones at 1.6 g/t Au and 3.3 million tones of inferred resource at 1.5g/t Au. The ore bodies are amenable to open-pit mining and heap leach processing methods. Cluff has a 78% ownership of the Kalaska Gold Mine, the remaining interest being held by the Company’s local partner, IMAR-B (12%) and the government of Burkina Faso (10% free-carried interest).

The Newfoundland project sites Annouced by EagleRidge Minerals Ltd.

2009-07-06T16:17:00.000-07:00

Top Mining News: This is the news on mining exploration area. Are you interested in this copper mining information? red the further news below:

EagleRidge Minerals Ltd. (ERM) is pleased to announce that field exploration crews have been mobilized from the Manitoba sites to the Newfoundland project sites. Field exploration work was performed on the Baie Verte area. The crews are now working on the St. Julien’s exploration project. Both project areas offer great opportunity for the discovery of gold and base metals mineralization.

The company has assembled a 12 person field crew consisting of geologists, geological assistants, Newfoundland prospectors and local persons from St. Juliens and Croque. The exploration crews are being overseen by ERM’s President and COO, Carey Galeschuk, P.Geo.

The Baie Verte Project was primarily focused on reconnaissance mapping and prospecting. The St. Julien’s Project is focused on detailed geological mapping and structural studies. Previous prospecting samples from St. Julien’s have returned copper assays over 22% as well as numerous other high assays of copper.

The company is excited about the potential of its’ Newfoundland projects. Field crews are following up the prospecting efforts undertaken in the St. Julien’s area during the summer and fall of 2008. During 2008, ERM carried out extensive ground prospecting on the St. Juliens project as well as airborne geophysics.

The VTEM geophysical anomalies in the St. Julien’s area that were generated during the airborne survey will be traced in the field. As well, an independent consultant has reviewed the electromagnetic and magnetic geophysical data from the St. Julien’s area and soon will be issuing an interpretive report. Diamond drilling is planned for later in the fall of 2009 in the St. Julien’s area.

Carey Galeschuk, P.Geo, ERM President and COO, is the qualified person for these projects.

the granting of two new exploration licences for potash to Talon Metals Corp.

2009-07-06T16:09:00.000-07:00

Top Mining News: This is the news on Potash Mining. Are you interested in this mining information? Read the further news below:

Talon Metals Corp., announce the granting of two new exploration licences for potash and to provide an update on the Sergipe Potash Project located in Sergipe State, Brazil.

In a news release dated May 25, 2009, the Company announced the acquisition of the Sergipe Potash Project and immediately commenced a detailed review of the available technical data. Subsequently, Talon submitted an application for two additional exploration licences within the potash bearing Sergipe basin, which together comprise a new prospect area, the Ilha das Flores prospect.

The Sergipe Potash Project now comprises seven onshore and two offshore prospects. Talon holds exploration licences for a total area of 21,117 hectares (52,181 acres) and has applications for exploration licences pending for a further 19,150 hectares (47,320 acres). Currently, the Sergi, Rio do Sal and Capela prospects are the most attractive onshore prospects and are the focus of Talon’s exploration program.

“The granting of two new exploration licences for potash enhances our drive to build a significant portfolio of potash projects in Brazil and the technical information we have acquired and reviewed recently from past petroleum exploration is very encouraging,” said Mr. Stuart Comline, President and CEO of Talon. “This is particularly so for the Sergi prospect as the data has confirmed the presence of several potash layers. We will complete the review of the existing data in order to guide our field based exploration program.”

There is a significant amount of technical data on the Sergipe-Alagoas sedimentary basin, generated by the oil and gas industry since 1960. To date, the Company has acquired the logs of 86 historical oil wells within the basin, some of which are strategically located within Talon’s prospect areas.

In addition, the Company is acquiring other existing exploration data, including 2-D and 3-D seismic data, additional drill logs, downhole geophysical profiles and the data from a regional gravity survey. All of this data originated from exploration programs focused on oil and gas and therefore requires reinterpretation in order to apply it to potash exploration. The Company expects to receive all the data by the middle of July 2009 and to complete the evaluation of this historical data by the end of August 2009, which will correspond to the end of Phase I of the exploration program.

Phase II is planned to commence in September 2009 and would include 2-D and 3-D seismic surveys over the most prospective targets, followed by a drilling program, which is currently scheduled to start in November 2009. Talon is in the process of submitting applications for the licences that are required to conduct the Phase II field based program.

SERGI PROSPECT

Sergi is one of the most attractive prospects and has excellent infrastructure as it is located 37 kilometres southwest of the Taquari-Vassouras potash mine (the only potash mine in Brazil and which is operated by Vale) and 18 kilometres from the town of Aracaju (the capital of Sergipe State).

There are three historical oil wells within this prospect area, which were drilled by Petrobras (a Brazilian oil & gas company) between 1969 and 1991. Oil well 1 FT 0001A SE reportedly intercepted seven discrete potash-bearing layers, composed of sylvinite or sylvinite and carnallite, with widths ranging from 2.0 metres up to 11.5 metres. The combined width of the seven layers represents 35.5 metres of potash mineralization, which were intersected at a depth of between 1,167.5 metres and 1,319 metres.

Wells 1 COL 0001 SE and 1 TC 0001 SE intercepted the evaporite sequence, which hosts the potash mineralization, but the logs only report the intersection of anhydrite and halite. Nevertheless, Talon’s reinterpretation of the downhole geophysical profiles suggests the presence of potash mineralization in both oil wells.

RIO DO SAL PROSPECT

The Rio do Sal prospect is located immediately to north of the town of Aracaju, some 20 kilometres east of the Sergi prospect.

According to the data recorded in this area, there are five wells within the property, of which Talon has accessed log data for three of them to date. Potash mineralization is reported in two oil wells. Well 1 CAU 0002 SE intersected nine potash layers with widths ranging from 1.5 to 13.0 metres, and with a cumulative width of 40.0 metres, between an intersection depth of 1,320 metres to 1,438 metres. Well 1 SC 001 SE intercepted an 18 metre-thick layer of massive carnallite, from a depth of 1,648 metres. The third well investigated by the Company reportedly intersected the evaporate sequence (Ibura Member) but did not report any potash mineralization. A reinterpretation of this data will be undertaken.

CAPELA PROSPECT

The Capela prospect has no existing oil wells within the prospect area, although two wells, located 2.5 and 3.8 kilometres away from the southern and south eastern border of the property respectively, reportedly intersected carnallite mineralization. Of significance, the prospect is within a geophysically defined basin, some 19 kilometers-long and 1.0 to 3.5 kilometres-wide, which is postulated to be the northern extension of Vale’s Miranda potash deposit.

Preliminary modelling by Talon of the evaporate sequence (Ibura Member) suggest that the Capela prospect has potential to hold potash mineralization at depths of less than 1,000 metres.

FUTURE WORK

The acquisition and reinterpretation of oil exploration data in the Sergipe-Alagoas basin will continue until the end of August 2009, with an aim of defining the most attractive targets for potash mineralisation and to delineate the basin structure, based on the reported geology in the well logs and on geophysical interpretations. Particular emphasis will be placed on identifying the more continuous and well developed potash deposits, occurring at the shallowest depths. Much of the reinterpretation is being conducted in association with experienced consultants, Stratageo SARL, and the results of this work will be reported as it becomes available.

3 New Leases in Holbrook Potash Property in Arizona Acquired by Passport Metals Inc

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

Top Mining News: This is the news on 3 New Leases in Holbrook Potash Property in Arizona Acquired by Passport Metals Inc. Are you interested in this mining information? Read the further news below:

Passport Metals Inc. announce that it has acquired 3 new leases adjacent to its property holdings in the Holbrook Basic Potash property. The 3 claims: #08-113498, 640 acres, T16N R22 E Sec 16, #08-113499, 439.79 acres, T15N R 22E Sec 4 and #08-113500, 480 acres, T16N R22E Sec 28 total 1559.79 acres. There are two leases pending approval by the State of Arizona.

In September 2008, Passport entered into a mineral option agreement with Southwest Exploration Inc., a private Arizona incorporated company, to acquire a 100-per-cent interest in 13 state leases comprising 8,413.3 acres (3,404.76 hectares). The properties, to be designated the Holbrook holdings, are located in Navajo county, covering portions of the prospective Holbrook basin. Passport now has the right to acquire a 100% interest in 16 state leases totaling 9,973.09 acres or 4,035.96 hectares.

ADVISORY BOARD APPOINTMENT

Passport Metals Inc. has appointed Clive Bailey, Certified Professional Geologist, to the Advisory Board effective immediately. Mr. Bailey is a “Qualified Person,” or “QP” as defined by the NI 43-101 standards and has a BS in geology. Mr. Bailey has more than 30 years of experience in salts, uranium and precious metals. Additionally, Mr. Bailey has extensive experience with downhole logging and geophysics and has completed more than 1,000,000 feet of drilling throughout his career. Mr. Bailey is an environmental specialist and served as a manager/advisor to a public company that controlled a portion of the Carlsbad, New Mexico potash deposit.

The company also wishes to announce that Terence Smithson is no longer on the Advisory Board and the Company wishes to thank him for his efforts.

Unico, Inc. Chairman Reports Acquisition of Over 3.2 Million Shares of Common Stock

2009-06-19T16:57:00.000-07:00

Unico, Inc. Chairman Reports Acquisition of Over 3.2 Million Shares of Common Stock

Unico is pursuing alternative processing methods for the extraction of silver and gold from concentrate at the Deer Trail Mine. The purpose of this initiative is to develop the most economical process and achieve the highest recovery of precious metals possible from material produced at the site.

Unico, Incorporated, a natural resource company in the precious metals mining sector, today announced that Chairman Ray C. Brown has filed statements with the Securities and Exchange Commission reporting the acquisition of over 3.2 million shares of common stock and the subsequent gifting of approximately 1.1 million of those shares.

Mr. Brown’s acquisition of shares was reported on two separate Form 4 Statements of Change in Beneficial Ownership of Securities filed on June 17, 2009. The Form 4 statements can be viewed by clicking the “SEC Filings” link on the Unico website at http://www.unicomining.com./IR/investorrelations.php.

The first Form 4 filed by Mr. Brown reported that on June 10, 2009, he acquired 1,838,235 shares of Unico common stock at a price of $0.0136 per share. On the same date, Mr. Brown gifted 735,294 shares of common stock to C. Wayne Hartle, who serves on the company’s Board of Directors and holds the position of Corporate Secretary. Mr. Hartle reported the acquisition of the shares gifted by Mr. Brown in a Form 4 statement filed on June 17, 2009. Mr. Brown also gifted 367,647 of his acquired shares to another individual.

The second Form 4 filed by Mr. Brown reported that on June 16, 2009, he acquired an additional 1,388,889 shares of Unico common stock at a price of $0.0144 per share. As a result of these acquisitions and the gifting of shares, Mr. Brown now owns 8,559,676 shares of Unico common stock.

“I am pleased to have made these recent acquisitions of Unico common stock at a time when the company is undertaking its program to pursue alternative processing methods for the extraction of silver and gold from concentrate at the Deer Trail Mine,” stated Mr. Brown. “I believe that the ongoing testing program being conducted in cooperation with Royal Mines And Minerals Corporation has the potential to increase the value that Unico will ultimately receive for the gold and silver contained in concentrate produced at the Deer Trail mill facility. I continue to support the job being done by Unico management and our staff out at the mine and look forward to additional advancements of our project at the site.”

Over the past several months, the company has shipped numerous samples of material from the Deer Trail Mine in Marysvale, Utah to Royal Mines And Minerals Corporation for testing of Royal Mines’ proprietary technology for the lixiviation of precious metals. More information on Royal Mines proprietary technology for the lixiviation of precious metals can be found at its website, www.royalmmc.com.

Unico is pursuing alternative processing methods for the extraction of silver and gold from concentrate at the Deer Trail Mine. The purpose of this initiative is to develop the most economical process and achieve the highest recovery of precious metals possible from material produced at the site.

HudBay CEO Unveils Strategic Plan at AGM

2009-06-19T16:43:00.000-07:00

Top Mining News: This is the news on copper mining news. Are you interested in this copper mining information? red the further news below:

HudBay Minerals Inc. unveiled a new strategic plan with a two-pronged growth strategy.

“HudBay will pursue a strategy defined by two broad themes,” Peter Jones, HudBay’s chief executive officer, told the company’s annual meeting of shareholders. One emphasis will be to optimize operations in HudBay’s traditional home base of Manitoba. “We will grow our principal operating platform in the Flin Flon Greenstone Belt, which will continue to be our cornerstone.”

The strategy for Manitoba includes closing the copper smelter by July 1, 2010, continuing to evaluate reopening the Chisel North mine, continuing exploration in the Flin Flon Greenstone Belt and aggressively pursuing development of the Lalor deposit.

“The strategic plan will only be fully realized by growing beyond our Manitoba base,” Mr. Jones continued. “This second avenue of growth will include the company’s Fenix nickel property in Guatemala and potential acquisition opportunities worldwide.”

Mr. Jones described several key initiatives in implementing HudBay’s plan. A decision on the next phase of development for the Lalor project is expected in 2009. Copper concentrate sales arrangements are also expected by the end of 2009, to support the closure of the copper smelter by July 1, 2010. A revised project plan for the Fenix project is expected in early 2010, and the company is continuing to pursue acquisition opportunities.

“Our plan is to build on our knowledge base, financial strength and the cash generated from our assets to grow into a dominant Canadian metals producer with the ability to acquire and develop superior assets at home and in attractive locations around the world,” Mr. Jones said.

InterOil Announces Conversion of All Subordinated Convertible Debentures

2009-05-22T23:41:00.000-07:00

Top Mining News: Read the following oil mining news. This news belo will give you information about oil, and oil company.

InterOil Corporation today notified holders of its 8% convertible subordinated debentures, due May, 2013, of its intention to exercise its right to mandatorily convert all outstanding debentures into common shares at a conversion price of $25.00 per share. This conversion right was triggered by the daily volume weighted average price of our common shares remaining at or above the mandatory conversion price of $32.50 for the past 15 consecutive trading days. As of March 31, 2009, the principal amount remaining outstanding of the original $95.0 million worth of the debentures was $79.0 million. Following the mandatory conversion, none of the 8% debentures will remain outstanding and a total of 3,159,000 common shares will be issued to debenture holders. If the conversion had occurred on March 31, 2009, the Company would have had 39.8 million shares outstanding.

Chief Financial Officer, Collin Visaggio, stated; “This conversion marks another milestone achievement in the transformation of the Company’s balance sheet. After the conversion has taken place early in June, the Company’s long-term debt to total capitalization ratio is expected to be reduced to 17% on a pro forma basis, down from 34% as at March 31, 2009, and from 68% as of March 31, 2008.”

Chief Executive Officer, Mr Phil Mulacek, stated; “This strengthening of our balance sheet better positions InterOil to hasten its development and growth. Our ability to undertake this conversion only a year after the issue of these debentures reflects the considerable milestones we have reached during that short period and the market’s recognition of the value we continue to create.”

Williams Receives FERC Approval To Provide Additional Natural Gas Service To Southeast By 2010

2009-05-22T23:37:00.000-07:00

Top Mining News : Tulsa, OK /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Williams (NYSE: WMB) announced today that that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has approved a proposal to expand Williams’ Transco natural gas pipeline to serve markets in the southeastern United States.

New service from the Mobile Bay South project would be available in the second quarter of 2010. The project is designed to create 253,500 dekatherms of southbound, year-round firm transportation capacity on the Mobile Bay Lateral from Transco’s mainline at Station 85 near Butler, Ala., to its interconnect with Gulfstream Natural Gas System in Coden, Ala.

“We appreciate the efforts of the FERC and other state and federal agencies in reviewing this application,” said Phil Wright, president of Williams’ natural gas pipeline business.

“The Mobile Bay South project will enable us to provide firm southbound transportation service for growing domestic supplies from new pipeline interconnects at Station 85 to markets in Southwest Alabama and Florida, as well as third-party storage facilities, while maintaining the full capability of the lateral to supply our traditional customers through northbound service to Station 85.”

The Mobile Bay South project will require construction of a new 9,470 horsepower compressor facility at Station 85 in Choctaw County, Ala. Williams estimates that the project facilities will cost approximately $37 million. (More)

Klondike Gold Corp. Reevaluates Historic High-Grade Silver Sample From the Eng Property

2009-05-22T23:32:00.000-07:00

Klondike Gold Corp. Reevaluates Historic High-Grade Silver Sample From the Eng Property

Top Mining News : Klondike Gold Corp. is reevaluating a high-grade, drill-intersected silver-rich sample from the Eng property in southeastern B.C. The property was staked five years by the Company as part of a larger land package situated due west of the Cold Creek and Mount Mahon areas, approximately 1.5 km south of Yahk in southeastern British Columbia.

Two holes were drilled in the immediate area in 1990 by Kokanee Explorations Ltd. in a search for SEDEX (Sedimentary-Exhalative) mineralization. One of the holes intersected the silver-copper-gold mineralization at a depth of several hundred meters.

The silver occurrence is described in BC Government Minfile (taken from assessment report 20828): “Mineralization consisting of native silver and native copper and gold occurs within a 15 cm zone of fragmental quartzititic argillite and siliceous mud beds. The mineralization is described to be contained within bedded seams less than 0.5 mm thick within a purple brown siliceous fragment. The 15-cm zone is described as sub-rounded fragments and mud; the fragments are heavily crowded with fine pyrite and pyrrhotite. A sample of a mineralized fragment yielded 34,183 g/tonne silver (997.17 oz/tonne), 10.3 percent copper and 0.27 g/tonne gold.”

Proposed exploration plans include prospecting to locate potential mineralization at surface, a geochemical grid, and a ground geophysical survey.

Klondike Gold Corp. also announces that Diana Mark has been appointed Assistant Corporate Secretary. It also notes a correction to its news release of February 5, 2009 to state that 3,000,000 stock options were issued to directors and officers of the Company and 3,180,000 stock options to employees and consultants at a price of $0.10 per share for a period of five years.

Oil prices rebound before OPEC meet next week

2009-05-22T23:18:00.000-07:00

Top Mining News - Oil Prices : This is the information about mining prices. As reported by LONDON (AFP), the increasing energy demand in the United States. This was said by traders. The complete information is as follows:

LONDON (AFP) – Oil prices rose on Friday on signs of increasing energy demand in the United States, traders said, as the market focus began switching to a meeting of the OPEC cartel next week.

New York’s main futures contract, light sweet crude for delivery in July, climbed 45 cents to 61.50 dollars a barrel.

Brent North Sea crude for July advanced 46 cents to 60.43 dollars.

Oil retreated Thursday, in line with global equities, as investors cashed in profits from a rally this week that had pushed prices to six-month highs above 62 dollars.

“Both markets are consolidating after recent gains and more sideways trading is to be expected just below recent highs, especially as we head into a quiet period of trading due to the long holiday weekend in the US and the UK,” said VTB Capital analyst Andrey Kryuchenkov.

Markets in both countries are closed Monday for public holidays.

Next Thursday meanwhile sees OPEC hold a meeting in Vienna to discuss whether to alter the amount of crude the cartel is pumping.

The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, which pumps some 40 percent of global supply, has steadily cut production since late last year in a bid to steady prices which have tumbled from record highs above 147 dollars a barrel last July.

Libya’s envoy to OPEC, Shukri Ghanem, told AFP on Thursday that the meeting’s outcome remained uncertain as member nations had yet to indicate a clear stance.

“Everyone has not made up their minds. They are just watching carefully the movements in the market, the different signals,” he said.

The New York oil contract jumped to a six-month high 62.26 dollars on Wednesday after data showed a fall in key US oil inventories.

US crude reserves tumbled 2.1 million barrels in the week ending May 15, far more than market expectations for a 700,000 barrel drop.

“The bullish (positive) sign is that we’ve seen two consecutive weeks of falling inventories in the US,” Tony Nunan, an energy risk manager at Mitsubishi Corp, said Friday.

However, one analyst warned that current price levels were not in line with underlying weak global economic conditions.

“If you have a look at the fundamentals in the market at the moment, the inventories in the US are still at 19-year highs and there’s no real indication that demand has re-entered the market yet,” said Ben Westmore, an economist at the National Australia Bank.

Violence in oil-rich Nigeria boosts prices

2009-05-22T23:04:00.000-07:00

Top Mining News - Oil prices : Here is the news on oil prices which is high because of rising violence in Nigeria’s ethnically driven civil war. The complete information is as follows:

With oil prices at a six-month high and gasoline prices not far behind, energy traders are pointing a finger at rising violence in Nigeria’s ethnically driven civil war.

A wave of attacks on oil wells, platforms and pipelines by rebels in Nigeria’s Niger Delta has left the country’s output at about half its maximum level of 3.2 million barrels a day, the government’s Minister of State for Petroleum Odein Ajumogobia told reporters in the capital, Abuja.

The spike in attacks follows a major military offensive in the resource-rich delta, where ethnic Ijaw militants are fighting for greater autonomy and a bigger share of oil revenues,.

The fighting demonstrates how remote and little-understood struggles can have dramatic effects on Americans’ daily lives. Nigeria is the fifth-largest foreign supplier of oil to the United States, meaning that disruptions there directly affect energy prices here.

JBC Energy, a Vienna, Austria-based firm, says concern over the renewed violence in Nigeria has contributed to a spike to $62 a barrel for oil - a six-month high. In the Washington area, gasoline prices in recent weeks have risen about 25 cents a gallon to an average of$2.30 for regular grade.

The Nigerian oil and gas industry has been operating at reduced capacity since the rebels began their campaign in earnest in 2006, and traders are worried about the potential for increased disruption.

“Over the last several years, [the rebels] have shown they have the capacity to severely disrupt oil production, not just in Delta state but in other states,” Mark Schroeder, director of sub-Saharan analysis at the global security firm Stratfor, told The Washington Times.

Last week, Nigerian government troops launched what they call “Operation Restore Hope,” aimed at rooting out rebel factions that operate under the umbrella of a group called MEND, or Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta.

Local media say it is the federal government’s largest offensive in the area in years.

About 7,000 troops of the country’s Joint Task Force (JTF) are involved, backed by two warships and helicopter gunships, the Nigerian daily newspaper Vanguard reported. Their first target was a militant base known as Camp Five near the Delta state capital of Warri.

Source

More than One Tonne of Gold Poured at Sabodala

2009-05-22T22:50:00.000-07:00

Top Mining News : This is an information of the achievment of "The Sabodala Gold Mine" in producing Gold mine in Africa especially in Sinegal. Read the information below:

Mineral Deposits Limited announce that over one tonne of gold (32,151 ounces) has been poured at the Sabodala Gold Mine in Senegal, west Africa since start-up of full production in early April. This milestone is a credit to the entire team at Sabodala.

The plus US$220 million project is now processing material above the nominal mill capacity of 2 million tonnes per year.

“The Managing Director, Jeff Williams, said the one tonne milestone is a tremendous achievement for all shareholders and has set the foundation for 2009 and beyond.”

The company expects to produce 160,000 ounces in calendar 2009 at a cash operating cost of between US$420-440 per ounce.

The Sabodala Gold Mine is operated through Sabodala Gold Operations SA which is 10%-owned by the Government of the Republic of Senegal and 90%-owned by MDL.

The Recent Gains in Oil Prices as Trend Indicator

2009-05-12T01:50:00.000-07:00

Top Mining News : This is the news on the trend of crude oil price which is increasing. This increas of crude oil price is considered positive by American Petro-Hunter, Inc. Here is the complete news.

American Petro-Hunter, Inc. views the recent price increases of crude oil as extremely positive news for both the economy and the Company. Last week, oil prices jumped to almost $58 a barrel thereby extending gains to near six-month highs on investor expectations that the global economic environment is beginning to grow and may begin to rebound before the end of the year.

Oil has broken above the relative trading range of approximately $45 to $55 a barrel that it’s been at since dropping from a record high of $147 last July. These gains are boosted by investor perceptions that the worst of a severe U.S. recession may be over. Governments across the world, led by the U.S. and China, have announced massive fiscal stimulus packages that should eventually spark economic growth and demand for commodities, said Francisco Blanch, head of global commodity research at Bank of America Merrill Lynch. In addition, Production cuts by the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) have helped bolster prices, and the cartel meets again on May 28 to discuss further possible output reductions. OPEC leaders have stated they want oil at $70 a barrel.

American Petro-Hunter’s management believes that a steady rise in the price of oil will occur throughout the year and that prices forecast to be above the $70 per barrel range are both realistic and even possibly conservative given the dramatic drop from last year’s record highs. With this in mind, the Company has moved quickly to secure its first oil acquisition, a low-risk conventional target in Kansas. As a further means of rapidly capitalizing upon the sectors encouraging growth indicators the Company is currently reviewing several promising production purchase scenarios in both the U.S. and Canada.

As announced previously, the Poston Prospect in Kansas targets productive oil formations within Mississippi Dolomite and/or Cherokee sands as indicated by significant 3D Seismic anomalies. The 750 acre block contains a potential multi well program with the first drilling location registered as the #1 Lutters Well. The operator of the project has reported that site preparations are fully underway with drill rig mobilization to the site planned within a week.

In the event of commercial production at the #1 Lutters Well an additional 2 to 3 offset locations are proposed in order to fully exploit the acreage. Engineering estimates of the potential production from the indicated pay zone is between 35 and 100 barrels per day from a successful well. Full development of the field could produce up to 400 BOPD of light oil. There is excellent support infrastructure and transportation access in the area which will easily and cost effectively facilitate regular storage tank transfers to nearby sales depots.

The Spudding of Its First Well With Houston Energy L.P. (U.S. Energy Corp. Announcement)

2009-05-12T00:34:00.000-07:00

Top Mining New: Here is the mining news on oil drilling in Matagorda Country. The complete oil drilling news is as follows:

U.S. Energy Corp. announced the spudding of its first well under a previously announced Participation Agreement with Houston, Texas based Houston Energy L.P. whereby USE acquired a 10% working interest in an oil and gas prospect located in Southeast Texas. HE is the operator of the project.

The well is located in Matagorda County, TX and it is the first of up to three prospects that may be drilled on the leasehold. HE believes the first well has a resource potential of 6.6 BCF and 1,296 MBO. The well will be drilled to an initial depth of approximately 11,100 feet and USE’s commitment is approximately $216,000 to a casing point decision. Drilling is expected to be completed in 30 days after initial spud.

Under the terms of the agreement, USE is responsible for 10% of the costs to drill an initial test well (ITW) to earn an 8.5% after casing point (ACP) working interest (6.2% net revenue interest). There is also a 10% after prospect payout (APO) back-in working interest due the operator, which would reduce USE’s working interest to 7.65% (5.6% net revenue interest) APO.

“Drilling this initial test well is an important step forward in our relationship with Houston Energy and key to our strategy to increase production by leveraging the expertise of our partners,” stated Keith Larsen, CEO of U.S. Energy Corp. “Depending on the success of this well, we’ll look at additional opportunities to participate in projects with Houston Energy on a going forward basis,” he added.

Stingray Unveils Positive Feasibility Study for El Pilar Copper Project, Sonora, Mexico

2009-04-30T23:06:00.000-07:00

TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - April 27, 2009) - Stingray Copper Inc. (TSX:SRY) ("Stingray" or the "Corporation") is pleased to announce the results of the definitive Feasibility Study (the "Study") on the Corporation's 100% owned El Pilar oxide copper project located in Sonora, Mexico. Based on the positive results of the Study, the Board of Directors of the Corporation has approved the project for development as a low cost, open pit mine with a solvent extraction and electro-winning plant to treat oxide mineral reserves, subject to financing. M3 Engineering & Technology Corporation ("M3") of Tucson, Arizona has prepared the Study and related NI 43-101 Technical Report.

Peter Mordaunt, Chairman and CEO of Stingray states: "Our objectives, milestones and time table established 2 years ago have been realized both on time and on budget. The results of this Feasibility Study are in line with our conceptual ideas both technically and economically from the start of this detailed work. Oxide copper projects of this size are indeed rare today and the positive conclusions from the Study demonstrate the economics of the project quite clearly. Specifically, low capital and operating costs are characteristic of oxide copper deposits and El Pilar is no exception. Although the financial landscape of the copper industry has changed significantly since the start of work at El Pilar, the demand for copper has remained strong. Stingray's ultimate objective of becoming a mid-tier copper producer in North America with excellent operating infrastructure at El Pilar has not changed."
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The Agreement between Cameco and Kyrgyz Parliamentary

2009-04-30T21:36:00.000-07:00

Top Mining News: This is the news on the agreement between Cameco and Kyrgyz Parliamentary. What is the agreement about? Read the news below:

Cameco Announces Kyrgyz Parliamentary Ratification of Agreement

Cameco Corporation, one of the world’s largest uranium producers announced that the Kyrgyz Parliament has ratified the agreement that Cameco and Centerra Gold Inc. signed with the Kyrgyz government that is described in Cameco’s April 24, 2009 news release. In addition, the Kyrgyz Parliament has passed legislation authorizing the implementation of all of the terms of the agreement. The legislation has been forwarded to the Kyrgyz President for signature.

As previously announced, the agreement resolves all outstanding issues with respect to the Kumtor gold mine and is expected to further align the parties’ business interests and provide additional certainty for continuing operations and future development of the Kumtor project.

Closing of the transactions under the agreement is dependent upon the satisfaction of certain conditions including withdrawal of all claims and proceedings before the Kyrgyz courts, and any necessary regulatory and other approvals, including TSX approval. The parties have agreed to apply reasonable efforts to close the transaction on or before May 25, 2009.

Tenaris, one of the world’s leading producers of LNG

2009-04-30T21:24:00.000-07:00

Top Mining News: This is the mining news on Tenaris which is one of the world’s leading producers of LNG. The complete news is as follows:

Tenaris Acquires Control of Seamless Pipe Indonesia Jaya

Tenaris S.A., a leading global supplier of steel tubes and related services for the world’s energy industry and certain other industrial applications announced today that it has completed the previously announced acquisition from Bakrie & Brothers TbK, Green Pipe International Limited and Cakrawala Baru of a 77.45% holding in Seamless Pipe Indonesia Jaya (”SPIJ”), an Indonesian OCTG processing business with heat treatment and premium connection threading facilities, for a purchase price of US$72.5 million, with US$ 24.9 million being payable as consideration for SPIJ’s equity and US$ 47.6 million as consideration for the assignment of certain sellers’ loan to SPIJ.

SPIJ has an annual processing capacity of 120,000 tons and has had a commercial alliance with Tenaris for more than a decade. SPIJ employs around 500 persons and had revenues of approximately US$140 million in 2008. The acquisition would allow Tenaris to strengthen its global production capabilities and its local presence in Indonesia, one of the world’s leading producers of LNG.

5 solar projects get $4 million in grants

2009-04-18T19:55:00.000-07:00

Top Mining News: Five new projects granted $4 million in seed money could help make Arizona a center for solar development, backers said Friday.

Science Foundation Arizona announced the projects, and the formation of its new Solar Technology Institute, at lunch events in Tucson and Phoenix.

The Tucson event, attended by about 100 industry, government and university officials, was held just outside a 310,000- square-foot solar array that provides power at Global Solar Energy, 8500 S. Rita Road.

“The goal is developing disruptive technology breakthroughs that will bring the cost of solar energy down to the level of fossil fuels,” said Richard C. Powell, co-director of Solar Technology Institute. “We want to make Arizona a leader in the drive to change to solar.”

“Germany, Spain and even New Jersey lead Arizona in the development of solar energy,” said Paul Newman, a member of the Arizona Corporation Commission, which regulates utilities. “We’ve got to change that.”

The $4 million will provide startup funding for the projects, Powell said.

Half of the funding comes from Science Foundation Arizona and half from the private sector.

The funding is in hand and not affected by state budget cuts for the organization, Powell said.

The projects cover the full solar spectrum, from collecting the sun’s energy to distributing electricity to consumers, said Leslie Tolbert, vice president for research, graduate studies and economic development at the University of Arizona.

“The goal here is not just to meet our energy needs but to become a net exporter,” Tolbert said.

The projects are collaborations that include UA, Arizona State University and a variety of industry partners, she said.

Solar panels don’t work at night, and energy storage is a challenge that one funded project is addressing, Powell said.

Plans call for generating excess solar power during the day that will be used to compress air that will be stored, he said.

When darkness curtails energy production, the stored compressed air can be used to drive turbines to generate electricity, he said.

Another project is using nanotechnology to improve the efficiency of thin-film solar devices while driving the price down, said Ray Kostuk, UA professor of electrical and computer engineering.

Ultra-thin coatings will cause sunlight to spend more time exciting the elements in thin-film devices so they produce more electricity, Kostuk said.

Other projects are:

• Concentrator photovoltaics to develop the next generation of low-cost solar reflectors that concentrate the sun’s energy on high-efficiency photovoltaic cells.

• Quickly testing and certifying solar products to determine the performance of new and improved technologies.(read more)

Empire Applies for Additional Exploration Licenses in Tasmania

2009-04-18T19:52:00.000-07:00

Top Mining News: Empire Energy Corporation International, has announced an investment in an African mining and mineral exploration company and the filing of applications for additional tenement licenses in Tasmania.

The Company has acquired the whole of the issued common shares of Grand Monarch Holdings Inc, a Delaware, fully reporting shell corporation, from Ballantyne Acquisition Corporation for 2,500,000 Empire Energy restricted shares. Ballantyne Acquisition Corporation is controlled by Tad Ballantyne, a Director of Empire Energy.

The Company has submitted tenement applications for the coal-bed methane horizons of the existing SEL 13/98 tenement and which would be tested commencing with the Bellevue #1 well, to be drilled shortly. Coal seams of Permian to Jurassic age occur throughout the Tasmanian Basin and are currently mined at several sites both by open pit and underground mining methods.

The Company has also submitted an application for a further 12,040 sq kilometres of tenement on the Eastern seaboard of Tasmania, which includes approximately 5,000 sq kilometres of offshore area, where 7 kilometres of onshore and 256 kilometres seismic operations were previously carried out by companies managed by Malcolm Bendall.

The Company will assign one third of the Eastern seaboard Tenement to its wholly owned subsidiary Grand Monarch Holdings Limited followed by a stock exchange agreement with Geominex Resources Limited, a UK private company, under which the Company will exchange 90% of Grand Monarch Holdings Limited for all of the issued and outstanding share capital of Geominex Resources. The Geominex Directors have estimated the value of their assets on a heavily discounted basis to be worth in the region of US$ 900 million.

Further to the recent filing of the 10K Report, the announced rights offering, if fully subscribed, may bring us the potential of an additional AUD$12 million to continue the drilling programs. Empire CEO Malcolm Bendall has stated, “The applications for further tenements in Tasmania confirm the Company’s new financial strength capability, and its commitment and belief that there are world class volumes of oil and gas in the State. At the same time, the Company has entered into a strategic alliance with Geominex Resources Limited to pursue this activity, and to expand the Company’s geographical spread into Africa where it will not only benefit from the existing mining operations, but also from the strong relationships of Geominex, and the potential for acquiring significant oil and gas tenements in Africa.”

Geominex Resources Chairman, Zamayi Sithole, stated that, “The strategic alliance with Empire is a significant step for Geominex, and will allow for the development of a substantial platform from which all parties will benefit significantly. The alliance combines the strength of Empire’s oil and gas and mining experience with the financial capacity of Geominex to establish a London-based natural resource company with an international focus and a direct access to the U.S. Capital markets.”

Empire Energy Corporation is an international oil and gas exploration company, focusing on developing assets in one of the world’s last virgin basins and becoming a leading low-cost finder of hydrocarbons. The company is currently operating in Tasmania’s central and northern basins.

Geominex Resources Limited is a private UK company with an address at Erskine House, 53 London Road, Maidstone, Kent ME16 8JH, United Kingdom, and which operates directly and indirectly through exploration and active mining in Africa, notably Geominex Mozambique Limitada, Geominex Niger S.A., Geominex Congo Limited, Geominex Burkina Faso S.A., Geominex Angola Limited and Geominex DRC Limited. All entities are owned from a minimal shareholding of 60% up to 100%. There is no interest in which the company owns less that 60% shares.

Role of nuclear power in state’s energy future debated

2009-04-18T19:51:00.000-07:00

Top Mining News: LANSING - It’s easy to recognize Fermi 2’s distinctive cooling towers rising over Newport. The nuclear power plant’s hyperbolic-shaped towers have puffed water vapor along the shore of Lake Erie since 1988.

The DTE Energy-owned facility is the newest of Michigan’s three nuclear plants. The Cook Nuclear Plant in Bridgman opened in 1975 and Palisades Power Plant in South Haven opened in 1971.

William Martin, chair of the Nuclear Energy and Radiological Sciences department at LANSING - It’s easy to recognize Fermi 2’s distinctive cooling towers rising over Newport. The nuclear power plant’s hyperbolic-shaped towers have puffed water vapor along the shore of Lake Erie since 1988.

The DTE Energy-owned facility is the newest of Michigan’s three nuclear plants. The Cook Nuclear Plant in Bridgman opened in 1975 and Palisades Power Plant in South Haven opened in 1971.

William Martin, chair of the Nuclear Energy and Radiological Sciences department at the University of Michigan, said Michigan needs to rely more on nuclear power to reach Gov. Jennifer Granholm’s lofty fossil fuel-reduction goals.

Granholm has called for the state to reduce its use of fossil fuels 45 percent by 2020.

Granholm’s initiative pushes energy efficiency and renewable energy, but leaves out nuclear energy as a possible solution.

Michigan’s three nuclear plants provide about 26 percent of the state’s electricity, according to the Nuclear Energy Institute in Washington, D.C.

The national average has hovered at about 19 percent since 1988.

Greg White, the legislative liaison for the Public Services Commission, said nuclear technology is too expensive and takes too long to build to help achieve the governor’s “45 by ‘20″ initiative.

“I do think that nuclear power can play an important role in moving us forward,” White said. “You just can’t get anything built between now and then.”

But Martin said, although construction of a new nuclear plant takes years, a new plant could become operational by 2020.

Martin said the governor’s goals are unrealistic without nuclear power as an option. “Basically that means you’re going to have to double or triple the amount of nuclear power, or have the equivalent of clean power in its place, which is going to be very difficult to do.

“I think the only way they’ll get there in 10 years is nuclear power,” he said.

Nuclear power, which doesn’t use fossil fuels and creates no carbon emissions, was first harnessed for electricity in Michigan in 1961. That was at the Big Rock Point Nuclear Power Plant, in Charlevoix, which closed in 1997.

Stanley “Skip” Pruss, the director of the Department of Energy, Labor, and Economic Growth, said renewable energy technology needs to be pushed if the state is going to successfully carry out the initiative.

He also said nuclear energy may have to be used as a bridge to meet future energy needs.

Scott Simons, an external communications representative for DTE, said the power company is applying to the federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission for permission to build another reactor at its Newport plant. Simons said if approved, Fermi 3 could be operational within 10 years.

The 1,500 megawatt plant would cost $8 -$10 billion and would provide enough power for 750,000-800,000 people.

Simons said building the plant would create about 2,400 construction jobs and it would employ 400-700 workers.

The last nuclear reactor to begin service in the United States went online in 1996.

James Clift, policy director for the Michigan Environmental Council, said no more nuclear power plants should be constructed in the state until the waste can be stored away from the Great Lakes.

Many nuclear plants store their radioactive waste on site. For example, Simons said at Fermi 2 the waste is stored in a spent-fuel pool within the plant. He said the waste will be moved to dry-cask storage in the future. (read more)

Radioactive review

2009-04-18T19:47:00.000-07:00

Top Mining News: The federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission, as part of a “long-term” comprehensive study of its radioactive waste classification system, will consider reclassifying depleted uranium as high-level waste. Meanwhile, it will develop site-specific disposal criteria to help determine which landfills can safely accept large quantities of the radioactive material — 11 tons or more.

File that under better late than never, because EnergySolutions has already accepted 49 tons of depleted uranium at its low-level nuclear waste disposal facility at Clive in Tooele County, including more than 5,000 55-gallon drums since last October.

But a lot more depleted uranium could be on the way, as new uranium enrichment facilities ramp up to fuel a nuclear energy renaissance, and the federal Department of Energy prepares to transfer approximately 700,000 tons of the material from temporary storage sites to permanent disposal facilities. And the depleted uranium, the refuse from the process in which natural uranium is enriched to create fuel for nuclear power plants, poses unique disposal challenges.

Regular Class A, low-level waste comes and goes — after 100 years it has decayed to the point where it is no longer considered a hazard. But depleted uranium, while relatively benign at first, keeps getting hotter and hotter for a million years as it breaks down into more radioactive and easily-dispersed elements.

For decades, depleted uranium disposal wasn’t an issue because there wasn’t a lot of depleted uranium to dispose of. The material was never specifically categorized when NRC classification guidelines were developed in the 1980s, and depleted uranium was treated as Class A waste by default.

But as government stockpiles grew and applications for new uranium enrichment facilities were received and the need for disposal of large amounts of depleted uranium became apparent, the NRC formally classified the material as low-level waste this year after a cursory review.

The decision stunned Rep. Jim Matheson, D-Utah, and Rep. Edward Markey, D-Mass, members of the House Energy and Environment subcommittee, which oversees the NRC. The congressmen termed the ruling “an arbitrary and capricious mischaracterization” of depleted uranium, and demanded answers. The NRC responded by announcing it would study the issue, but it has yet to set a timetable for its review, and the depleted uranium keeps pouring into Utah.

The NRC needs to stop this madness. Federal regulators need to establish a moratorium on the disposal of depleted uranium until the study is complete. (source:sltrib.com)

Nuclear plant snub

2009-04-18T19:34:00.000-07:00

Top Mining News: A BID for Chapelcross Two has been snubbed by a UK Government list for future nuclear power stations. Westminster have listed 11 sites in the UK as having potential for the creation of a new site – but there are none in Scotland.

Dumfriesshire Tory MP David Mundell said: “This is not the news we wanted to hear.

“To provide a secure, affordable, low carbon baseload energy supply we need a mix of energy provision in which renewables and nuclear are complementary.

“Scotland is currently relying on over half of our energy production coming from finite and diminishing fossil fuel sources.

“It is the blinkered dogma of parties such as the SNP and Liberal Democrats which is threatening to turn out the lights across Scotland by refusing to consider continued nuclear power as part of the energy mix.

“If the SNP has its way, Scotland might go from being a net exporter of electricity to a net importer, dependent on nuclear power from across the border.”

Dumfries and Galloway Labour MP Russell Brown also turned the attack on the Scottish Government who have a policy of a nuclear-free Scotland.

“By ruling out nuclear energy at this stage the SNP have made a huge mistake which will cost local jobs,” he said.

The current Chapelcross site near Annan is in the process of being decommissioned with fears over the long-term future of 430 workers.(source:dgstandard.co.uk)

Revett Mineral Inc. Announcement on Silver Wheaton Exercising Participation Rights

2009-04-18T19:23:00.000-07:00

Top Mining News: This is the news on Revett Mineral Inc. Announcement on Silver Wheaton Exercising Participation Rights. It is reported that Revett Minerals Inc., announce that Silver Wheaton has exercised its participation right to acquire 3,855,558 Revett Minerals common shares. The complete news is as follows:

Revett Minerals Inc., announce that Silver Wheaton has exercised its participation right to acquire 3,855,558 Revett Minerals common shares.

In connection with the recent exchange of 20,553,500 Revett Silver Class B common shares for Revett Minerals common shares, Silver Wheaton has taken up a portion of its pro-rata share of Revett Minerals common shares under the Participation Rights Agreement dated November 22, 2006. Revett Minerals now has 109,014,696 shares outstanding, of which, Silver Wheaton owns 16.4%.

John Shanahan, President and CEO, commented “We are pleased that Silver Wheaton continues to stand behind Revett Minerals as we advance our long term goals of increasing production at the Troy Mine and advancing the exploration stage Rock Creek project.”

Pebble Fund for Sustainable Bristol Bay Fisheries and Communities

2009-04-12T05:54:00.000-07:00

Top Mining News: This is the news on Alaska Community Groups that Receive Pebble Fund Grants. It is reported that Northern Dynasty Minerals Ltd. announces that the Pebble Fund for Sustainable Bristol Bay Fisheries and Communities, established by the Pebble Limited Partnership last year, will dispense its first $1 million in grants to 33 successful applicants this spring. The complete news is as follows:

Northern Dynasty Minerals Ltd. announces that the Pebble Fund for Sustainable Bristol Bay Fisheries and Communities, established by the Pebble Limited Partnership last year, will dispense its first $1 million in grants to 33 successful applicants this spring.

The Pebble Fund was established in February 2008 as a five-year, $5 million commitment to support community-led initiatives that enhance the health of Bristol Bay fisheries and contribute to a sustainable economic future in southwest Alaska. Administered by the non-profit Alaska Community Foundation, Pebble Fund grant criteria and awards were determined by an independent advisory board of citizens representing communities from throughout the Bristol Bay region.

“Pebble is a globally significant copper-gold-molybdenum deposit whose development has the potential to provide employment and business opportunities for generations of Alaskans, as well as other social and economic benefits for the communities of Bristol Bay,” said Northern Dynasty President & CEO Ron Thiessen. “Although the project is still several years away from permitting and operations, the Pebble Partnership is committed to ensuring that local communities benefit at every stage of project development.

“That’s what the Pebble Fund and today’s announcement is all about; ensuring that Pebble provides a more sustainable future for the communities of southwest Alaska now and in the future.”

Based in Anchorage AK, the Pebble Partnership was established in July 2007 as a 50:50 partnership between a wholly-owned affiliate of Northern Dynasty and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Anglo American plc. To retain its 50% interest, Anglo American is required to continue its staged investment of $1.425 billion to advance the Pebble Project toward permitting and operations.

“One of our core principles is to help build sustainable communities and that is why we started the Pebble Fund,” said Pebble Partnership CEO John Shively. “I am pleased and encouraged that the Pebble Fund board was able to meet a diverse cross section of community needs in the Bristol Bay region. This clearly demonstrates we will meet our commitments, and we are looking forward to the next round of applications and grants later this year.”

In total, some 50 non-profit community organizations in southwest Alaska applied for Pebble Fund grants in 2009 for projects related to community development, education, energy and fisheries. The Pebble Fund board selected 33 successful applicants, including 26 small grant ((less than)$25,000) and seven large grant ((greater than)$25,000) recipients.

Projects receiving small grant awards include a community greenhouse development in Ugashik, alternative energy and wind development projects in the City of Chignik and Chignik Lagoon, and a vocational training program for clean diesel technology in the Bristol Bay School District. Large grant awards will fund fisheries enhancement and education projects in Pilot Point and Ivanoff Bay, a renewable energy development project in Iguigig and a broad-based job internship program for students in the Lake and Peninsula School District, among others.

“Villages in rural Alaska are facing some serious challenges, including high energy and transportation costs, limited investment and job opportunities, and out-migration,” said Ron Thiessen. “We believe the Pebble Fund can start to address those challenges by funding projects that are developed, delivered and selected by the people who know this region best - the communities of Bristol Bay.”

Agreement between Paragon Minerals Corporation and Crosshair Exploration & Mining Ltd. on Golden Promise Gold Project

2009-04-12T05:30:00.000-07:00

Top Mining news: This is the news on The Agreement between Paragon Minerals Corporation and Crosshair Exploration & Mining Ltd. on Golden Promise Gold Project. The complete news is as follows

Paragon Minerals Corporation announce that it has entered into a new joint venture agreement with Crosshair Exploration & Mining Ltd. whereby Crosshair can acquire up to a 70% interest in the Golden Promise Gold Project located in central Newfoundland, Canada. The new agreement will result in the termination of the original property option earn-in agreement with Crosshair and the property sale agreement entered into last year.

“We are very pleased to renew our partnership with Crosshair on the Golden Promise Gold Project” said Michael Vande Guchte, President and CEO of Paragon. “Their work to date has demonstrated high-grade gold vein systems at Golden Promise that remain open along strike and to depth. We look forward to an aggressive drilling and bulk sampling campaign on the property with the objective of increasing the current NI43-101 compliant gold resource”.

Under the terms of the new joint venture agreement Crosshair will issue to Paragon, 2,655,000 of its common shares to earn a 60% interest in the Golden Promise Gold Project. Crosshair will provide Paragon with a $2.0 million carried interest in exploration expenditure to be completed prior to May 2013. Crosshair can extend this time frame by one year upon issuing a further 250,000 common shares to Paragon.

On completion of the initial $2.0 million in exploration expenditures, Crosshair can elect to earn an additional 10% interest (to 70%) in the Golden Promise Gold Project by providing Paragon with an additional $1.0 million carried interest in exploration expenditures within a one year period. Crosshair can extend this time frame by one year upon issuing a further 100,000 common shares to Paragon. If Crosshair does not complete the additional exploration expenditures, it can purchase the 10% interest by paying Paragon the difference between the incurred additional exploration expenditures and the $1.0 million or retain a 60% interest.

Crude Power: Politics and the Oil Market

2009-04-04T01:18:00.000-07:00

"This book is highly recommended for anyone who wishes to understand the relationship between oil suppliers, consumers and governments

Crude Dreams: A Personal History of Oil & Politics in Alaska

2009-04-04T01:15:00.000-07:00

Oil industry insider Jack Roderick takes you behind the scenes of this multibillion-dollar business, to watch the battle for control of Alaska's most sought-after resource.

"Crude Dreams" is a great read. Jack Roderick is a masterful storyteller. He provides us with an intriguing history of the oil industry in Alaska along with fascinating portraits of the unforgetable personalities who lived it. Any attempt to understand the oil business in Alaska is incomplete without this book. This is history at its very best.

Petroleum Refining in Nontechnical Language

2009-04-04T01:07:00.000-07:00

William Leffler’s Petroleum Refining in Nontechnical Language, Fourth Edition is designed to give the reader an overview of key refining topics by using relevant analogies, easy-to-understand graphs, formulas, and illustrations. New to this edition is important information on the nature of crude oil and raw materials and a comprehensive discussion on what sets crude oil and oil products price differentials. Also new is a chapter on lubricants as well as the latest technologies employed by refiners. Each chapter was carefully written in nontechnical language to give the reader a basic understanding of the refining industry. The book can be used for self-study, as a classroom textbook, or as a quick reference.

The Return of the Obsolescing Bargain and the Decline of Big Oil: A Study of Bargaining in the Contemporary Oil Industry

2009-04-04T00:23:00.000-07:00

This book centres on studying intricate bargaining relationships between the major actors in the highly politicised oil industry. By covering the period between 1998 and 2007, this study focuses exclusively on contemporary bargaining in the oil industry. In the current decade, which unlike previous two cooperative decades, can be characterised as conflictual, and thus politicised, the structure of the oil industry can best be understood by studying bargaining between numerous actors, the main of which are the international oil companies (IOCs), oil-exporting states, oil-importing states, and the national oil companies (NOCs). The central argument is that due to their weak relative bargaining power, the IOCs have been on the losing side in their bargaining with oil exporting countries and/or their NOCs in the current decade when compared to the late 1990s, and thus, we are witnessing the return of the obsolescing bargain. High oil prices, increased industry competition, lack of alternative investment options for IOCs, and an increasingly hostile political climate in many oil-exporting states are some of the main reasons why the IOCs are facing possibly unsurmountable hurdles.

Handbook of Petroleum Processing

2009-04-04T00:14:00.000-07:00

This Handbook describes and discusses the features that make up the petroleum refining industry. It begins with a description of the crude oils and their nature. It continues with the saleable products from the refining processes, with a review of the modern day environmental impact.

About the Author

The editor S.Jones is a retired chemical engineer having spent 10 years in BP's Refinery, 4 years in BP Research and Development, 2 years in Esso's Refinery Development Dept, 18 years in Process Engineering with Fluor Corporation (Final position general manager-operations), 8 years as private engineering consultant in SA. Retired in 1992.

The assistant editor P.R.Pujado was the Assistant Lecturer at the University of Manchester, Institute of Science and Technology, 1971-1972; Development Engineer (SA Cros), 1972-1975; Process Coordinator-Aromatics (UOP LLC), 1975-1980; Manager, Marketing Services-Petrochemicals (UOP LLC), 1980-1990; R&D Fellow-Olefins production and processing (UOP LLC), 1990-present.

Crude Oil Chemistry

2009-04-04T00:05:00.000-07:00

Top Mining News: Read the following information on crude oil chemistry.

Crude Oil Chemistry is foremost a scientifically exact guide to the full family of classical and modern analytical and process technologies in petroleum refining. In widening its vision also to incorporate a geological history of petroleum formation, present-day geopolitical and economic issues, and approaches to redress and improve the delicate ties between the petroleum industry and the environment, this superlative reference succeeds as a total representation of the factors going into the chemistry of crude oil—and their outward bound ramifications.

Oilfield Processing: Crude Oil (Oilfield Processing of Petroleum)

2009-04-03T23:51:00.000-07:00

Top Mining News: Do you want to know the process of crude oil to be petroleum? If so It is better for you to read the information below:

This second volume from Manning and Thompson covers process descriptions, designs methods, operating procedures, and troubleshooting in great detail. Nearly every chapter is concluded with review questions and practical numerical problems. Like Volume One, this new text is the definitive source on its topic and contains numerous diagrams and appendices, as well as case histories. Following the format set forth in their first volume, the authors have included a glossary of terms and list of abbreviations as well as conversion units. Volume Two covers phase separation, firetube heaters, energy conservation, instrumentation and process control as well as pressure relief and flaring. Contents: Introduction and scope; Characterization of crude oil; Phase behavior of crude oil; Water-in-crude-oil emulsions; Field processing of crude oil; Separation of gas, oil and water; Dehydration of crude oil; Desalting of crude oil; Crude sweeting & stabilization; Pumps; Measurement of crude oil; Fire heaters; Pipeline transportation; Energy conservation; Instrumentation and process control; Pressure relief and flaring; Case histories; Appendices.

Lajitas Gold Project in Northern Chile.

2009-04-03T23:38:00.001-07:00

Top Mining News : This is the news on Capella which Drills 261 Metres Grading .91 G/T Gold at Lajitas. Th complete news is as follows

Capella Resources Ltd. announce drill results (drill hole LJ-08011) from the Company’s 100% own Lajitas gold project in northern Chile. The core drilling intersected a zone of continuous gold mineralization of 261 meters grading 0.91 grams per tonne (g/t) gold between 90 meters and 351 meters down the hole. Contained within the intersection is 104.7 meters grading 1.59 g/t gold.

LJ-08011 was drilled at a -60 degree angle into an induced polarization (IP) anomaly that is 1.8 kilometres in diameter on the southeast edge of a non-compliant 43-101 historic gold resource, which was calculated by Minera Santa Fe Pacific Chile Ldta. in 1997.

The entire mineralized drill intersection noted above is contained within oxidized andesitic volcano-clastic and dacitic intrusive rocks that are variably altered with iron oxides, clay, and silica. Rocks at the Lajitas gold project exhibit some of the deepest oxidation known in the Maricunga District.

Anomalous copper mineralization was intersected throughout drill hole LJ-08011 with the best interval grading 0.15% copper (Cu) over 33 metres between 294 and 327 metres down the hole. Additionally, significant ground water was intersected in the Lajitas gold project drilling. During the past year the Company has conducted extensive title research of the water rights over the Lajitas gold project and is preparing application for those surface and sub-surface water rights.

The Lajitas gold project is located approximately 12 kilometres southeast of the Marte-Lobe gold deposit that was recently acquired by Kinross and lies 18 kilometres east of Andina Minerals’ Volcan gold deposit. The Lajitas gold project is subject to a 5% net smelter return royalty and the Company has the option to reduce the same to 2% by paying the royalty holders a cash payment of US$3,000,000.

Environmental Permit Application for Tapuli Iron Ore Mining Project Filed by Northland Resources Inc

2009-04-03T23:23:00.000-07:00

Top Mining News : This is the information on iron ore mining project. It is stated that Northland Resources Inc. has filed an environmental permit application with the Swedish Environmental Court, for its Tapuli iron ore mining project and related Kaunisvaara mill, located in northern Sweden. The whole news is as followsP:

Northland Resources Inc. has filed an environmental permit application with the Swedish Environmental Court, for its Tapuli iron ore mining project and related Kaunisvaara mill, located in northern Sweden. The granting of an environmental permit is the last step before mine construction can begin. Northland anticipates a ruling from the Environmental Court in approximately 12-14 months.

Mr. Bill Wagener, COO of Northland, commented, “We have made a great effort to establish baseline conditions, and design a state-of-the-art, resource-efficient and safe industrial layout, in order to minimize the environmental impact of our operations, and we are hopeful that the review process will go smoothly.”

In tandem with this permitting process, Northland will submit an application for water usage and construction activities to the Border River Commission, which regulates projects that influence the Muonio - Tornio border river between Sweden and Finland.

Permitting of downstream activities such as railroad transportation, port storage and ship-loading facilities will be applied for according to Finnish regulations.

While waiting for a decision from the Environmental Court, Northland will complete further studies on Tapuli, its resource statement on Pellivuoma, its infrastructure studies and decisions, and will procure key pieces of plant and equipment.

Operational Aspects of Oil and Gas Well Testing (Handbook of Petroleum Exploration and Production)

2009-03-29T06:15:00.000-07:00

Hardbound. Well Testing is recognised by many operating oil and gas companies to be the most hazardous operation they routinely undertake. Therefore, it is of great importance that such operations are extremely well planned and executed. This handbook covers all the major "Operational Aspects of Oil and Gas Well Testing" and uses a structured approach to guide the reader through the steps required to safely and effectively plan a well test operation under just about any circumstances world wide. Safety procedures and well testing recommended practices are rigorously addressed in this book, as are the responsibilities of those persons involved in well testing operations.

Perforating equipment, drill stem test equipment and bottom hole pressure gauges are discussed in detail in the book. There is also a very valuable section on sub sea equipment, an area often not well understood even by experienced engineers who may have been primarily invo

Wildcatters: Texas Independent Oilmen (Kenneth E. Montague Series in Oil and Business History)

2009-03-29T06:10:00.000-07:00

In the 1970s and 1980s the Texas wildcatter was a recognizable figure in popular culture. Since then, the wildcatter's role is less celebrated but still important, as shown in the new introduction to this edition of a book originally published in 1984 by Texas Monthly Press.

Drawing heavily on oral histories, this book tells the story of the West Texas independents as a group, looking at their business strategies in the context of their national, regional, and local conditions. The focus is on the Permian Basin and southeastern New Mexico over the sixty-year period in which the region rose to prominence on the American oil scene, producing about one-fifth of the nation's output. It is a story that covers vast technological change, governmental regulation, and economic fluctuation with profound implications for the oil and gas community.

The new introduction brings the story up-to-date by addressing not only the subsequent careers of the wildcatters described in the book but also the role of independents in the current economy.

Early Texas Oil: A Photographic History, 1866-1936 (Montague History of Oil Ser)

2009-03-29T06:05:00.000-07:00

Early Texas Oil: A Photographic History, 1866-1936 (Montague History of Oil Ser)

Practical Well Planning and Drilling Manual

2009-03-29T06:03:00.000-07:00

A must-read for anyone planning new wells or simply wanting to manage existing sites more effectively, this text provides the essentials of drilling and associated engineering functions for today's team drilling approach.
Contents: Well design Preliminary work for the well design Precompletion, completion, casing and directional design Well programming Preliminary work for the drilling program Well control Directional planning Drillbit selection, parameters, and hydraulics Drilling fluids program Casing running program Cementing program Formation evaluation Drilling problems - avoidence planning Practical wellsite operations and reporting Drilling fluid Drilling problems Casing Cementing Drillbits Directional drilling Writing the final well report Appendices: Calculating kick tolerences; Formation integrity test recommended procedure; Information sources; Drilling equipment lists by operation; conductor setting depth for taking returns to the flowline Glossary Index.

Drilling Engineering

2009-03-29T06:00:00.000-07:00

Coauthored by a leading drilling engineering professor/researcher and a well-experienced drilling research advisor, Drilling Engineering explains the fundamentals and field practices in drilling operations. This textbook is an excellent resource for drilling engineers, drilling supervisors and managers, and petroleum engineering students.

Topics covered include:

***Drilling rig requirements, selection, and evaluation

***Drilling fluids, including functions, types, selection criteria, evaluation, rheology

***Drilling fluid hydraulics and design requirements

***Drillstring mechanics

***Drill bit mechanics, including types, operational requirements, optimization

***Well control mechanics

***Pore and fracture pressures prediction and application

***Directional, horizontal, and multilateral well drilling

***Cementing and casing design

***Drilling problems and solutions

***Overview of underbalanced, slim hole, and coiled tubing drilling

NEW Patent CD for Apparatus for storing and dispensing oil and gas well drilling fluids

2009-03-29T05:34:00.000-07:00

Following is a sample of the information contained on this cd... STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENTNot applicableREFERENCE TO A "MICROFICHE APPENDIX"Not applicableBACKGROUND
OF THE INVENTION1. Field of the InventionThe present invention relates to the handling of oil and gas well drilling fluids, especially in an offshore or marine environment. More particularly, the present invention relates to an improved oil and gas well fluids transfer apparatus that features a first module carrying multiple supply reservoirs for holding different drilling or production fluids and a second, typically smaller supply module for holding one or more resupply modules and wherein a docking station interfaces the two modules, and fluid transfer being effected with specially configured piping so that any one reservoir can be filled with a selected resupply reservoir that is docked on the docking station.2. General Background of the InventionIn the drilling of oil and gas wells, a large number of different fluids are typically employed. These fluids can include various chemical formula that assist the driller. These fluids can include, for example, drilling mud, surfactance, brine solutions, thickening solutions, other oil well drilling or completions fluids and the like.In costal, or other offshore marine environment, the drilling of oil and gas wells employs a platform that can be floating, semi-submersible, fixed, tension leg, spar or the like. Such coastal, offshore or marine oil platforms are well known in the art.An offshore marine platform typically suffers from lack of space. These special constraints are due to the enormous expense of constructing offshore drilling platforms. A huge array of equipment is needed for the drilling and operation of oil and gas wells. Constant supply and resupply that is an ongoing procedure. Huge work boats carry drill pipe, equipment, personnel, food, drilling fluids, completion fluids, and other mater

Drilling: The Manual of Methods, Applications, and Management

2009-03-29T05:31:00.000-07:00

Drilling: The Manual of Methods, Applications, and Management is all about drilling and its related geology, machinery, methods, applications, management, safety issues, and more.Of all the technologies employed by hydrologists, environmental engineers, and scientists interested in subsurface conditions, drilling is one of the most frequently used but most poorly understood. Now, for the first time, this industry-tested manual, developed by one of the world's leading authorities on drilling technology, is available to a world-wide audience.

Classic Oil Industry, Drilling Films on DVD

2009-03-29T05:28:00.000-07:00

Classic Oil Industry, Drilling Films on DVD..Table of Contents: Twenty-Fours Hours of Progress I-(1950) Run time: 13:51 How the oil industry is central to the American economy. It was actually quite easy to pick up, basically it involves how gas products are used by the general public in a 24 hour period..Desert Venture (Part I) & (Part II)- Run time: 30:53 If you can get past the Saudis forever smiling to the Americans, this is a highly enjoyable educational film on how of course, the Americans were responsible for Oil in Saudi Arabia..American Frontier-(1950s)- Run time: 12:37 Humanistic film showing the effects of an oil discovery on Williston, North Dakota and the surrounding region. This film documents the coming of oil drilling to North Dakota and it's effects on the people living there..Destination Earth- (1956) Run time: 13:36 In this corporate-sponsored cartoon, Martian dissidents learn that oil and competition are the two things that make America great..Down the Gasoline Trail- (1935) Run time: 7:55 Cartoon showing what happens to a drop of gasoline from the time it flows into the gas tank to when it is exploded in the engine cylinder..Oil for Aladdins Lamp- Run time: 20:32 The romance of the petroleum industry, showing how dependent our society is on oil and petrochemical products. Remake and update of the original (1933) version..

Effects of Oil Drilling on Oysters: A Pro Oil Propaganda Film from the 1960s

2009-03-29T05:21:00.000-07:00

Progress Parade is a petroleum "newsreel" that really is just a promotional video for the oil industry. The film is unintentionally uproarious, however, as the advancements in crude oil refining, oil use, and oil production are often frightening! A University of Louisiana study investigating the effects of nearby oil-drilling on the oyster population takes a ridiculous approach: tanks of oysters are shown in the lab, being doused with oil, and tested. Hilariously, the research concludes that oil and drilling explosions have no effect on the oysters, proving that the petroleum industry is a "good neighbor" to the oyster fisherman! Many other scenes of oil application are examined, always with the result that petroleum and petroleum products are a boon to mankind. A great piece of the history of petroleum, Progress Parade is a beautiful example of oil and energy propaganda in the United States.

Texas Oil & Gas Since 1543

2009-03-29T05:01:00.000-07:00

When it was first published in 1939, oil historian James A. Clark called this book, "the most valuable collection of historical, biographical, and statistical data on Texas oil ever assembled." That is still true today. It is the definitive history of the petroleum industry in Texas, exhaustively addressing the geology, technology and economic impact of the industry that made Texas synonymous with oil. Mr. Warner provides a well-articulated and accurate account of the early discoveries, fields, and oilmen in the state. This expanded edition includes previously unpublished material extending further the scope of the original 1939 text. Illustrated with photos and production statistic charts by county.

Groundwater Geophysics: A Tool for Hydrogeology

2009-03-29T04:56:00.000-07:00

Geophysical techniques can map the underground conditions apart from boreholes. The use of these methods for hydrogeological applications is demonstrated for mapping of porous and structural aquifers, determination of groundwater quality (mineralization), assessment of hydraulic properties, determination of aquifer vulnerability and mapping of contaminated sites. Additionally, a description of geophysical techniques used for groundwater studies is given including seismics, resistivity methods, magnetics, ground penetrating radar and NMR (nuclear magnetic resonance).

Mining Equipment Reliability, Maintainability, and Safety (Springer Series in Reliability Engineering)

2009-03-29T04:53:00.000-07:00

From its origins in the malachite mines of ancient Egypt, mining has grown to become a global industry which employs many hundreds of thousands of people. Today, the mining industry makes use of various types of complex and sophisticated equipment, for which reliability, maintainability and safety has become an important issue. Mining Equipment Reliability, Maintainability and Safety is the first book to cover these three topics in a single volume.

Mining Equipment Reliability, Maintainability and Safety will be useful to a range of individuals from administrators and engineering professionals working in the mining industry to students, researchers and instructors in mining engineering, as well as design engineers and safety professionals. All topics covered in the book are treated in such a manner that the reader requires no previous knowledge to understand the contents. Examples, solutions and test problems are also included to aid reader comprehension.

General CS8/GH Random Crack Saw. Honda GX340 Series 11 HP. oil alert and Cyclone type air filter.

2009-03-29T04:35:00.000-07:00

General's CS8 Series Random Crack Saw is designed to follow irregular crack patterns in asphalt and concrete surfaces. The unit utilizes 8 inch diameter, dry cut diamond blades in industry standard widths to produce smooth sided cuts to prepare surfaces for proper crack filling. Maximum straight line cutting depth is 1 - 1/2 inches. The center mounted blade configuration allows the CS8 to pivot about its own axis to more exactly follow random crack patterns. The extra control affords easier handling than crack saws with side mounted blades. With this unique configuration, extended blade life is realized by minimizing warpage potential. Direct line visibility to the operator helps keep productivity high. Power is supplied by a variety of industrial class gasoline engines. A propane conversion is also available for use in confined areas where normal exhaust fumes are not permissible. Other standard features include an infinitely adjustable blade height control with a quick release lever and a 3 inch diameter vacuum port for dust control. When wet cutting is preferred, an optional water mist control system is available. General's CS8 an ideal solution for surface preparation. CS8/GH Random Crack Saw, equipped with Honda GX340 Series 11 HP gasoline engine with oil alert and Cyclone type air filter.

Oil Price News : "Natural gas, crude oil show some price stability" by BY ALEX MILLS

2009-03-28T03:27:00.000-07:00

Top Mining News : This is the information on oil price stability entitled "Natural gas, crude oil show some price stability" by BY ALEX MILLS. The complete article can be read below.

Natural gas, crude oil show some price stability

by : BY ALEX MILLS

A few market indicators point to a firmness in the price of crude oil and natural gas.

One of the largest factors is the U.S. economy. Even though unemployment has declined over the past year, it appears to have hit bottom. U.S. home sales register a comeback in December, registering the largest monthly increase in seven years. Could a rebound in auto sales be next?

Obviously, crude oil supply plays a very important role, and the largest exporter of crude oil is the 11members of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). OPEC Secretary General Abdalla el-Badri predicted recently that OPEC may hit its new quotas by February 1. New cutbacks seek to reduce production by 4.2 million barrels per day, but other information indicates the decline in production is about 1.5 million barrels per day (27.65 million barrels per day in December to 26.15 million barrels per day today).

Even though U.S. crude oil supply is still in an oversupply position of about 46 million barrels, gasoline stocks are back in line indicating that consumers are beginning to drive more.

Natural gas, which is used primarily as an electric generation fuel, seems to have benefited from the cold weather that engulfed the Midwest and Eastern U.S. during the week of January 26. The implied net withdrawal for the week of 176 billion cubic feet is the largest yet this heating season, and significantly more than the 128 Bcf was withdrawn last year and 126 Bcf that has been withdrawn on average over the past five years (2004-2008), according to the Energy Information Administration (EIA).

While this withdrawal was the largest to date this heating season, it was still less than seasonal peak net withdrawals of more that 200 Bcf that have become common in recent years, EIA said.

The net withdrawal perhaps was lessened by reduced demand as a result of the current economic downturn and robust volumes from domestic production, EIA noted.

Also, production still is off peak because all of the hurricane damage has not been repaired yet.

However, unlike crude oil futures trading where prices are higher farther into the future, natural gas futures prices on the NYMEX last week were lower than the spot prices at the Henry Hub. This backwardation in the forward price curve provides an economic incentive to consume available supplies (including those in storage) rather than hold in storage for future use.

Watch for positive signs of increased consumption in China and India and increased demand for crude oil worldwide. The oil and gas exploration and production industry is just waiting for economic signs before it takes off, again.

Alex Mills is president of the Texas Alliance of Energy Producers. The opinions expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily represent the opinions and or policies of the Texas Alliance.
source: here

Saxon Oil announces plans to drill Eumont No. 2 well in New Mexico

2009-03-26T20:31:00.000-07:00

Top Mining News: This is the information on Oil drilling by Saxon Oil Company Ltd. The further information about this mining equpment is as follows:

Saxon Oil Company Ltd. announced plans to drill the first offset to the Eumont State No. 1, which has now exceeded 50,000 barrels of cumulative oil sales since completion in May 2008. Eumont State No. 1 continues to flow 140 barrels of oil per day and is the discovery well for the Urssey Tank Seven Rivers field. Saxon has approved the drilling of the Eumont State No. 2 well, a southeast offset well to the Eumont State No. 1. The Eumont State No. 2 should commence drilling in the near future and is planned as a 4,600-foot development well. Saxon owns a 15% working interest in the Eumont field wells and a 12.5% net revenue interest.

In Oklahoma, Saxon continues to participate in wells in the Lasley project area and has announced the Williams 4-15 commenced drilling in mid February and was drilled to a total depth of 13,739 ft. The operator, Western Oil and Gas Development, has recommended completion of the well in the objective Red Fork sand. The well is scheduled for completion next month and should be turned to sales in the 2nd quarter 2009. This is the twenty-seventh (27th) producing well in the Eakly East field (Lasley project area) of Oklahoma in which Saxon owns a working interest. The working interests in each well vary widely depending upon the section drilled and participation by other leasehold owners. Saxon owns a 2.2% working interest in this well.

Richard G. Green, president and CEO of Saxon stated “Development drilling offsetting the Eumont well makes good business sense. Saxon will continue to participate in the development of our legacy assets in the United States while we expand our low risk Central Kansas Gas Gathering project and mature the value of our European projects. We will continue to grow our reserves through prudent drilling and our project portfolio through acquisitions and development.”

Obama’s Energy Budget: More Taxes, Higher Prices

2009-03-26T16:25:00.000-07:00

Here is the interesting policy of President Barack Obama on Energy Budget. The more complete article is as follows:

President Obama recently released his budget blueprint, “The New Era of Responsibility,” which outlines his spending plans for Fiscal Year 2010 and beyond.[1] Aside from providing general levels of federal spending, the blueprint foreshadows much of the President’s policy agenda. The budgets for the Department of Energy (DOE), the Department of the Interior (DOI), and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reveal that the President has a costly and economically harmful vision for energy policy.

While the DOE and EPA both get budget increases, the DOI’s budget is reduced. The budget top-lines, however, are not the story: The real issue is how the money is spent and the policy implications thereof. Despite President Obama’s rhetoric about advancing the interests of America’s middle class, his policies will cost Americans more money, limit their access to America’s energy resources, and provide little, if any, environmental benefit.

The Environmental Protection Agency

The EPA’s budget has averaged $7.6 billion over the past three years, and it will increase slightly to $7.8 billion for 2009, but President Obama plans to increase it significantly to $10.5 billion in 2010.[2] The budget is being increased for policy goals that are disturbing, including a cap-and-trade program and an expansion of Superfund.

Sets the Stage for Cap-and-Trade. By far, the most onerous element of President Obama’s budget is that it would institute his CO2 cap-and-trade proposal to reduce carbon emissions 14 percent below 2005 levels by 2020 and approximately 83 percent below 2005 levels by 2050.[3] The program would auction 100 percent of available carbon emission credits and use the revenue to fund other aspects of his budget.

While the budget blueprint euphemistically refers to this money as “climate revenue,” in reality it is an energy tax that would force consumers to pay higher energy prices. In the blueprint, $646 billion of revenue would be generated through a cap-and-trade plan from 2012 through 2019, but many have suggested these auction permits would likely be much higher. The Heritage Foundation’s Center for Data Analysis’s estimate of climate revenue for 2012–2019, using less strict Lieberman-Warner caps, is between $1.6 trillion and $1.9 trillion, which results in even higher taxes on the consumer.

Of the $646 billion, $150 billion of this tax revenue would be allocated for clean energy investments a decade. This is old, tired thinking: The notion of government investing in clean energy technologies through tax breaks, incentives, and subsidies is tantamount to Washington picking winners and losers, which penalizes successful sources of energy that Americans use every day to subsidize unsuccessful ones. (More)

Rex Energy Corporation Completes Sale, Nets $17.3 Million

2009-03-26T16:18:00.000-07:00

Rex Energy Corporation announced that it has closed on the sale of its Southwestern Region assets for net cash proceeds of approximately $17.3 million, subject to any final closing adjustments. The sale to Adventure Exploration Partners, LLC of Midland, Texas consisted of properties in Texas and New Mexico, predominately located in the Permian Basin.

The sale of these non-core assets was part of Rex Energy’s strategic plan to focus their efforts on Marcellus Shale drilling projects in the Appalachian Basin and the Lawrence Field Alkali-Surfactant-Polymer (”ASP”) Flood Project development in the Illinois Basin.

Benjamin W. Hulburt, President and Chief Executive Officer of Rex Energy, said, “Given the current commodity prices and economic environment, I am very pleased with our team’s ability to successfully divest these non-core assets.” Hulburt continued, “Rex Energy is dedicated to maintaining a conservative balance sheet, and the cash generated from the sale of our Southwestern Region assets will be used to uphold this commitment as well as supplement our 2009 capital budget.”

KeyBanc Capital Markets, Inc. served as Rex Energy’s advisor in connection with the transaction

First Oil & Gas from the Shenzi Field in Deepwater Gulf of Mexico

2009-03-26T15:48:00.000-07:00

BHP Billiton announced that first oil and natural gas production has commenced from the Shenzi development in the deepwater Gulf of Mexico. The tension leg platform (TLP) has a nominal capacity of 100,000 barrels of oil per day and 50 million cubic feet per day of natural gas, on a 100 percent basis.

The Shenzi facility is located approximately 120 miles (195 kilometres) off the Louisiana coastline and is installed in approximately 4,300 feet (1,300 metres) of water on Green Canyon Block 653, making it the second deepest TLP in the world.

J. Michael Yeager, Chief Executive, BHP Billiton Petroleum, said the development came on-stream ahead of schedule and within budget and is another important milestone in the expansion of Petroleum’s operated projects.

“Shenzi joins the already producing Neptune field as the second BHP Billiton operated, standalone, deepwater facility in the Gulf of Mexico. Together with Genghis Khan, Atlantis and Mad Dog, the company has realised a significant increase in production in the region after considerable investment and technical focus.”

“This achievement reflects a well executed work plan in a complex deepwater environment. This is a credit to the project team whose strong performance has allowed the company to safely deliver a world-class project and add to a growing Petroleum asset portfolio,” added Mr. Yeager.

The Shenzi field comprises four blocks: Green Canyon 609, 610, 653 and 654. Initial field development includes seven subsea wells tied back to the TLP, with full field development expected to expand to a total of 15 producing wells and future water injection wells. Crude oil is transported via a 20-inch diameter pipeline connecting to Ship Shoal 332 B, while natural gas will be exported via the Cleopatra pipeline (where BHP Billiton has a 22 percent equity share).

BHP Billiton is the operator with 44 percent equity. Joint interest participants are Hess Corporation and Repsol, each with a 28 percent equity.

Ritchie Bros. returns to Bakersfield to conduct large unreserved equipment auction

2009-03-22T06:05:00.000-07:00

Top Mining News: This is the information on mining equipment entitled "Ritchie Bros. returns to Bakersfield to conduct large unreserved equipment auction". The further information about this mining equpment is as follows:

Ritchie Bros. is conducting the Company’s first public unreserved auction in Bakersfield, California in 16 years on March 27, 2009 starting at 8:00 a.m. The last multi-million dollar unreserved auction Ritchie Bros. held in Bakersfield was in 1993 when the Company sold over 450 items to more than 500 bidders. The upcoming unreserved auction on March 27th will provide local and international bidders with a great opportunity to purchase industrial equipment used in the oil, agricultural, construction, demolition and transportation sectors. Close to 1000 lots will be sold during the unreserved auction and more items will be added to the auction right up to auction day. Each item at the unreserved auction will be sold to the highest bidder, with no minimum bids or reserve prices.

“Coming back to Bakersfield after 16 years and holding another unreserved auction here is exciting for us and is a fantastic opportunity for Ritchie Bros. to service four of our core markets all at once,” said Ken Spicer, Territory Manager, Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers. “We’ve been working hard to assemble a diverse and exceptional package of equipment that represents the oil, transportation, construction, demolition and agricultural markets in the area. Our California consignors are able to sell their items to the global market since bidders participate in our auctions from all around the world. Bakersfield is a great location to hold the auction; our auction site is located on a busy freeway and close to regional agriculture and oil belts. There truly is something for everyone at this auction and we look forward to welcoming bidders to the sale from the local region as well as from further afield.”

The unreserved auction features equipment from over 70 different owners including Bolthouse Farms, Gene Watson Construction, Golden Construction Inc., Pape Kenworth, Cal Lowbed Service and Nix Demolition. Equipment highlights include boom trucks, pipeline equipment, aggregate machinery, compactors, forklifts, hydraulic excavators, crawler tractors, loader backhoes, pavers, water trucks, truck tractors, trailers and more than 70 commercial pickup trucks from major manufacturers such as Ford and Chevrolet. A good selection of agricultural equipment will also be sold during the unreserved auction, including 2WD and 4WD tractors, utility tractors, cultivators, discs, seeders, mowers and swathers.

Golden Construction Inc., a construction and excavating contractor based in Bakersfield has been purchasing equipment through Ritchie Bros. since 1993 and consigning equipment at Ritchie Bros. auctions in Los Angeles and in Las Vegas since 2004. They are selling nine pieces of equipment in the upcoming Bakersfield auction including a wheel loader, hydraulic excavator, two padfoot compactors, two four-gallon water trucks and three loader backhoes.

“Two things about a Ritchie Bros. unreserved auction that stand out are the quality and selection of equipment you have to choose from and the ability of the auction to draw a large crowd of bidders,” says Kenny Shaffer, Vice President of Golden Construction Inc. “Whether you are looking to purchase one or more pieces of equipment, a Ritchie Bros. unreserved auction is the way to go because buyers can usually find what they want for a reasonable price.”
More information on the Ritchie Bros. website: www.rbauction.com

What is Pertamina ?

2009-03-20T15:36:00.000-07:00

Here is the description of Pertamina taken from the www.pertamina.com on page about. The complete information what pertamina is is below :

PERTAMINA is a State Owned oil & gas company (National Oil Company), established on December 10, 1957 under the name PT PERMINA. In 1961 the company changed its name to PN PERMINA and after the merger with PN PERTAMIN in 1968 it became PN PERTAMINA. With the enactment of Law 8 of 1971 the company became PERTAMINA. This name persisted until after PERTAMINA changed its legal status to PT PERTAMINA (PERSERO) on October 9, 2003.

PERTAMINA’s scope of business incorporates the upstream and downstream sectors. The upstream sector covers oil, gas and geothermal energy exploration and production both domestically and overseas. The foregoing is pursued through own operations and through partnerships in the form of joint operations with JOBs (Joint Operating Bodies), TACs (Technical Assistance Contracts) and JOCs (Joint Operating Contracts), whereas the downstream sector includes processing, marketing, trading and shipping. Commodities produced range from Fuel (BBM) and Non Fuel (Non BBM), LPG, LNG, petrochemicals to Lube Base oil.

With the enactment of the Law of the Republic of Indonesia No. 22 of 2001 on November 23, 2001 relating to Oil and Gas, Law No. 8 of 1971 relating to the State Oil and Gas Mining Company was declared void. In accordance with the provisions of Law No. 22 of 2001, PERTAMINA was transformed into a Public Liability Company (Persero) designated PT. PERTAMINA (PERSERO) under Government Regulation No. 31 of 2003. All existing PERTAMINA provisions including its structural organization, employment guidelines and procedures as well as other matters associated with its duties and responsibilities, unless such matters are in contravention of the said Government Regulation, are declared to continue in force until the Company provides otherwise.

PT PERTAMINA (PERSERO) was established under Notarial Deed of Lanny Janis Ishak, SH No. 20 of September 17, 2003, and ratified by the Minister for Law & Human Rights under Decision No. C-24026 HT.01.01 on October 9, 2003. The above proceeded in accordance with the provisions set forth in Law No. 1 of 1995 relating to Limited Liability Companies, Government Regulation No. 12 of 1998 relating to Public Companies (Persero), and Government Regulation No. 45 of 2001 relating to Amendment to Government Regulation No. 12 of 1998.

Consistent with its deed of establishment, the objective of the PERSERO is to engage in oil and gas exploitation, domestically and overseas, as well as in other exploitation associated with or supporting oil and gas operations.

The objective of the Public Company is to:

1. Exploit profits based on the principle of effective and efficient PERSERO management.
2. Contribute toward improvement of economic conditions for the welfare and prosperity of the people.

In order to achieve the above aims and purposes, the Public Company engages in the following:

* Oil and gas exploitation and the processed products and derivatives thereof.
* Geothermal energy exploitation existing at the time the PERSERO was established, including Geothermal Power Plants (PLTP) in the final stages of negotiations and which the Perseroan has managed to gain possession of.
* Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) exploitation and and other products generated by LNG refineries.
* Other exploitation associated with or in support of the undertakings referred to in points above.

Coorporate Values

Clean

Professionally managed, avoid conflict of interest, never tolerate bribery, respect trust and integrity based on Good Corporate Governance principles

Competitive

Able to Competeboth regionally and internationally, support growth through investment, build cost effective and performance oriented culture.

Confident

Involve in national economic development as a pioneer in State owned Enterprises' reformation, and build national pride.

Customer Focused

Focus on customers and commit to give the best service to customers

Commercial

Create added values based on commercial oriented and make decisions based on fair business principles.

Capable

Managed by professional, skilled, and high quality leaders and workers, committed to build research and development capability.

Pertamina Transformation Agenda

Paradigm change on management and guman resources.
Activities transformation in upstream sector as the main profit generator.
Activities transformation in downstream sector as the front line to interact with customers
Corporate restructurization transformation on Finance, Human Resource, Legal, IT and General Administration including Asset Management.

The object of the transformation are:
# To Create corporate management as:

* Confident
* Clean
* Customer-focused
* Competitive and efficient

# To be a role model company in Indonesia.

Achieved targets with continous improvement since July to December 31, 2006:

* Phase I of Breakthrough Projects in 100 days has generated income of + USD 15 million.
* The potencial cost reduction of Rp. 2 trillion in supply chain through the improvement on field distribution efficiency .
* 5 gas station have met the standards of "Pertamina Way".
* The roll out of gas stations quality and quantity assurance.
* The cooperation with world-class oil & gas companies.

The resume of Breakthrough Projects Phase I:

* Pondok Tengah Exploitation has generated income of USD 11 to 11.5 million
* Less critical depots.
* LSWR processing to RCC/FC has generated income of USD 2.5 to 2.8 million.
* Transportation loss control has saved Rp. 3 - 3.5 trillion.

Natural Gas Oversupply and New Pipeline Capacity Promise Bonanza for Northeast Natural Gas Buyers

2009-03-20T15:07:00.000-07:00

Top Mining News: This is the mining news on A new report from BENTEK Energy which examines the consequences of rapidly changing natural gas market conditions in the Northeast resulting from continuing increases in domestic production, new pipeline infrastructure and shifwww.miningtopnews.comts in the sources of natural gas imports. The original post of this article below is taken from www.miningtopnews.com

A new report from BENTEK Energy examines the consequences of rapidly changing natural gas market conditions in the Northeast resulting from continuing increases in domestic production, new pipeline infrastructure and shifts in the sources of natural gas imports. Just issued, Part 3 of BENTEK’s “Catch the Wave™” Market Alert series illustrates important Northeast market developments during Winter 2008-09 and describes how new drilling and completion technologies are changing the competitive landscape in the Northeast and across North America.

“It has been a long time since Northeast gas buyers have been faced with such a combination of attractive supply alternatives combined with highly complex market dynamics,” noted E. Russell (Rusty) Braziel, BENTEK managing director. “In just a few short weeks, the Rockies Express Pipeline will thrust Rockies producers into direct competition with suppliers from the Gulf and Midcontinent regions for Northeast market share. Production from those same regions continues to increase, even in the face of lower prices and falling rig counts. In the Gulf, production is growing so fast that it is threatening to exceed maximum outbound throughput capacity on all of the region’s major pipeline systems. Demand destruction and LNG imports remain wildcards. It is a lot of things to be hitting the market at the same time, but mostly good for natural gas buyers.”

U.S. gas production is expected to grow in 2009 despite the recession and drilling cut backs, as producers move drilling rigs to areas with much higher per well initial production rates, such as the Haynesville play located in northwest Louisiana and East Texas. This shift in capital deployment combined with the aggressive application of new drilling and completion technologies are offsetting the impact of a free-fall in the rig count, with the net result an expected 4% increase in production for 2009, according to the report.

“The application of new drilling technologies to unconventional resource plays in areas where the geology is well understood has resulted in extremely high well success rates and much larger reserves inventories,” said Braziel. “As a consequence, many of the traditional finding and development uncertainties in the E&P business are being replaced by risks generally associated with classical manufacturing economics, such as overcapacity, high inventories, and marginalized prices. This has important implications for the supply-demand balance over the long term.”

On the demand side, the BENTEK report sheds light on the apparent discrepancy between demand and pricing in the Northeast this winter. While the recession has resulted in some demand destruction, the impact has been muted by strong winter heating demand. Average Northeast demand is up about 4% this winter with peak demand soaring more than 35 Bcf/d (billion cubic feet per day) on January 16, 2009, compared to peaks of 28-32 Bcf/d during the previous four winters. In contrast, peak and average daily gas price premiums in the Northeast this winter have been significantly lower compared to last winter, with access to cheaper supplies due to pipeline expansions such Millennium-NE07 being the primary contributing factor. This development has important implications for the Summer of 2009 and beyond with the completion of Rockies Express and other pipeline projects.

“The other big factor is imports,” Braziel continued. “Imports from Canada are expected to continue decreasing as conventional production in the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin declines. However, most of the decrease will take place at border crossing points in the Midwest and West, which will have a minimal effect on Northeast supply levels. Canadian imports averaged 10.7 Bcf/d in 2008, but are projected to decline slightly to average about 10.4 Bcf/d in 2009.”

With prices below $4.00/MMbtu (million British thermal units) and expected to trend lower, the report also casts doubt that the U.S. could end up being a major dumping ground for global LNG surpluses, at least in the short term. If LNG does show up, the most likely destinations are expected to be terminals on the Atlantic Seaboard and Atlantic Canada, not those on the Gulf Coast.

In addition to its “Catch the Wave™” Market Alert series, BENTEK offers the Northeast Observer™ to provide daily updates and a weekly summary of market developments and a comprehensive analysis of all market factors pertinent to the Northeast region. For more information about BENTEK’s “Catch the Wave™” Market Alert series or Northeast Observer™, go to www.bentekenergy.com or call BENTEK at 888-251-1264. Learn about these developments and more at BENTEK’s natural gas symposium in Houston, TX, June 2-4, 2009. For more information go to: www.bentekenergy.com/benposium.

Uranium Exploration Project : Endeavor Explorations Inc.

2009-03-19T15:42:00.000-07:00

Top Mining News: This is the mining news on the exploration project of uranium by Endeavor Explorations Inc. The news is as follows:

Endeavor Explorations announces it has located the Global Positioning coordinates (GPS) for the previous historical drilling program conducted on the Don Lake Project during the 1960’s by Matrix Exploration Ltd. Based on this additional information the Company has made application with the Ministry of Mines in Saskatchewan, Canada to adjust the Company’s drill permits for a winter drill program to reflect this additional information. The Company plans to test the high grade results obtained by previous Operators and test other drill locations. Approximately 600 meters of drilling is planned on the winter program. The Company will keep its shareholders updated on its activities as it proceeds forward on the Don Lake Project.

In the 1960’s Matrix Exploration Ltd. undertook an exploration program. They drilled 3,937 feet in 26 diamond drill holes over three zones A, B and C. Nineteen of these holes contained radioactive sections, and significant values over mineable widths were intersected. The highest assay obtained was 10.7% U3O8 (9.08% U) from a 1-foot intersection in hole # 23. Drill hole # 23 is approximately 300 ft away from hole # 1, drilled by Eldorado in 1950, from which a 2-foot section averaging 2% U3O8 (1.7% U) was reported.

Endeavor Explorations Inc. is a publicly trading junior resource exploration company, focused on its Uranium Properties near Uranium City, Saskatchewan, Canada. Seven former producing Uranium Mines are located on the Company land holdings. These former producing mines were closed abruptly in the 1960’s due to depressed uranium prices which management believes is not the case today or the foreseeable future.

MBMI Executes MOA for Nickel Material Processing Technology

2009-03-17T17:53:00.000-07:00

Top Mining News: This is the mining news on the process of nickel laterite material using Nichromet’s proprietary leaching technology.

MBMI RESOURCES INC. (”MBMI” or the “Company”) (TSX VENTURE:MBR) is pleased to report it has executed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with Nichromet Extraction Inc. (”Nichromet”) of Canada to process nickel laterite material using Nichromet’s proprietary leaching technology. Nichromet has developed an expertise in the leaching of nickel laterite material (the ‘Nichromet Technology’) and has established a pilot plant facility in Quebec, Canada.

In order to assess the economic viability of using the Nichromet Technology to process Philippine nickel laterite material MBMI arranged for a shipment of a 20 tonne bulk sample of high-grade nickel laterite material to the pilot plant facility. The processing of the bulk sample has met with success and MBMI has been provided with a report setting out the economics of the process.

The MOA contemplates two separate transactions; a ‘Joint Venture Agreement’ pursuant to which MBMI will supply nickel material to Nichromet’s commercial processing facility proposed to be located in Canada and a ‘Licence Agreement’ pursuant to which MBMI will be granted an exclusive licence to use the Nichromet Technology in the Philippines.

Strait Asia Resources Plans To Increase Coal Mine Production to 20 million tones by 2012

2009-03-17T17:48:00.000-07:00

Top Mining News: This is the mining news from Reuters. Mr Richard Ong CEO of Straits Asia said that the plan for this company was to bring to 20 million in three years.

In Reuters news online reported, Singapore listed Straits Asia Resources aims to more than double its annual coal production to 20 million tonnes by 2012 and may acquire two Indonesian coal mines to achieve that target.

Mr Richard Ong CEO of Straits Asia the company will start by boosting its production to 9.5 million tonnes this year from 8.6 million last year.

He said that “I think the plan for this company is to bring to 20 million in three years. We are not stopping to look into acquisitions we may want to select one or two. Those acquisitions will be of Indonesian assets.”

Straits Asia’s shares rose as much as 3.2% in late trade on last Friday, outperforming a 0.7% fall in the benchmark Singapore index. Commodities firm Noble Group and Indonesian coal miner PT Indika Energy Tbk are among the companies also pursuing a bid for Straits Asia itself, sources told Reuters in January, in a deal that could be worth more than USD 800 million.

Mr Ong declined to comment on bids for the firm, saying it was up to its parent firm, Australian miner Straits Resources Limited that owns 47.1% of the company. He said that Straits Asia controls 100% of Indonesian mining service company PT Indo Straits, which it aims to spin off and either sell part or its entire stake through an initial public offering by the end of 2009. The company has not decided the size of the stake in Indo Straits that it wants to sell during the offering or the amount it aims to rise.

Straits Asia said that it was difficult to give an outlook for coal prices since supplies were likely to fall along with demand, as some producers faced difficulties in getting financing.

Mr Ong said that the firm would fund its expansion with cash. The company has nearly USD 100 million in cash or equivalent and a USD 300 million refinancing facility obtained from Standard Chartered in November, according to its 2008 financial statement. The firm posted over a 300% rise in both Q4 and 2008 net profits.

Straits Asia, with a market cap of USD 548.6 million has two coal mines in Indonesia’s coal rich East Kalimantan province and exports most of its output to power plants in Japan, Korea, Taiwan and India. In terms of size, it is similar to Indonesia’s eighth largest coal producer PT Bayan Resources, which also plans to produce 9.5 million tonnes of coal this year.

sourced : Reuters

Prepare SA coal for next boom, Northam foresees platinum recovery in 2010, Mozambique to begin shipping coal in 2010

2009-03-17T16:45:00.000-07:00

Top Mining News: This is the mining news on South Africa's Coal Industry. all coal companies must collectively attack strategic issues in order to ensure that South Africa will not lose out on the next boom, as it had lost out on the one just past.

South Africa’s coal industry needs to ready itself for the next coal boom, which will undoubtedly occur, states Anglo Coal South Africa CEO Ben Magara on page 9 of this edition of Mining Weekly.rnrnMagara told McCloskey’s South African Coal Conference, in Cape Town, that all coal companies must collectively attack strategic issues in order to ensure that South Africa didn’t lose out on the next boom, as it had lost out on the one just past.rnrnHe stated that all South African coal-miners were still digging in the depleting Witbank coalfield and that the migration to the Waterberg coalfield had been “very slow”. South Africa did have vast coal resources, but turning those new areas to account required serious and ongoing commitment.rnrnPlatinum-miner Northam Platinum CEO Glyn Lewis believes that platinum prices may trend higher in 2010, though he concedes that the immediate outlook for the platinum market remains uncertain.rnrnHe states on page 31 of this edition of Mining Weekly that there’s no doubt that 2009 will provide a challenging market, but thereafter, he believes, the demand for Northam’s basket of platinum-group metals will show some recovery.rnrnCoal exports from Mozambique are all set for kick-off in 2010. Read on page 7 of this edition of Mining Weekly of Riversdale Mining, at full production, hoping to export six-million tons of hard coking coal and two-million tons of thermal coal from the Port of Beira in the latter half of 2010.rnrnAim-listed Central African Mining & Exploration Company consulting geologist Allan Saad adds that his company plans its first-phase exporting in 2010, initially at the modest rate of 1,5-million tons a year, and then building up to 15-million tons a year and later to 20-million tons a year.rnrnVale of Brazil has a huge project in the same area of the prospective but underexplored Moatize-Tete area of Mozambique, which embraces mining, coal-fired power generation, a railway line and a port.

US$103 million public offering of common shares closeed by Pan American silver

2009-03-16T00:19:00.000-07:00

Top Mining News: This is the mining new on Pan American Silver Corp. which has losed its previously announce public offering of common shares. Here is the news.
Pan American Silver Corp. has closed its previously announced public offering of common shares. Pursuant to the Offering, the Company today issued 6,371,000 common shares at a price of US$16.25 per share, for aggregate gross proceeds of US$103,528,750 and total proceeds, net of underwriting fees, of US$98,611,134, including the exercise in full of the underwriters’ over-allotment option.

The Company expects to use the net proceeds from the Offering to fund acquisitions, development programs on acquired mineral properties, working capital requirements and for other general corporate purposes.

Goldman Sachs Canada Inc. and CIBC World Markets Inc. acted as co-lead managers and joint book runners of the Offering and UBS Securities Canada Inc., Merrill Lynch Canada Inc., RBC Dominion Securities Inc., National Bank Financial Inc., Raymond James Ltd., Salman Partners Inc. and Canaccord Capital Corporation, acted as co-managers of the Offering.

Mirasol Options the Nico Silver-Gold Project to Coeur d’Alene Mines

2009-03-14T16:39:00.000-07:00

Top Mining News: Here is the news from Santa Cruz province, southern Argentina. it is reported that Mirasol Resources Ltd. announces that it has signed an exploration option agreement with Coeur d Alene Mines to explore and develop Mirasol’s 100% owned Nico Project, located in the Deseado Massif gold-silver epithermal district of Santa Cruz province, southern Argentina. The complete news is as follows:

Mirasol Resources Ltd. announces that it has signed an exploration option agreement with Coeur d Alene Mines to explore and develop Mirasol’s 100% owned Nico Project, located in the Deseado Massif gold-silver epithermal district of Santa Cruz province, southern Argentina.

The terms of the agreement provide that Coeur spend US $2.3 million in exploration over four years to earn a 55% interest in the property, and a 65% interest on completion of a bankable feasibility study, at which time Mirasol may elect to maintain a 35% participation. Coeur may acquire a 75% interest by providing project development financing at commercial terms to Mirasol. Additionally, during the exploration period Coeur will make cash payments totaling US $250,000 to Mirasol and act as project operator.

Under the terms of the agreement, Coeur has a first year exploration commitment of US $250,000 and will pay US $50,000 on signing of the agreement. Exploration activities are projected to begin immediately, and include detailed prospect mapping, additional geochemical sampling, and drilling.

The Nico project was identified and staked by Mirasol geologists through the Company’s proprietary generative exploration program which has identified many new epithermal gold and silver systems in the Deseado Massif. The Nico mineral property comprises an area of 198 square kilometres and straddles a provincial road 40 kilometres north of Coeur’s producing bonanza-grade Martha silver mine. During exploration campaigns from 2005 to 2008, Mirasol conducted an integrated exploration program of geological mapping, 120 line kilometres of gradient array IP/resistivity geophysics, 552 line kilometres of high-resolution ground magnetics and 134 rock chip samples, which outlined highly prospective targets.

Initial exploration returned up to 8.5 g/t gold and 324 g/t silver in outcrop from the Nico Main zone (see press release dated October 11, 2007). Further exploration significantly extended the known mineralized trends and identified five discrete gold-silver prospect areas on a regional basis, defined by anomalous silver, gold or pathfinder elements and large chargeable / resistive geophysical anomalies. The principal targets of the Nico Main zone are the Tito vein zone and Carlos breccia zone, which host multi-gram gold values and multi-ounce silver values on surface (see press release dated May 26, 2008).

“We are very pleased to have Coeur as our partner for the Nico Project. We have an excellent relationship with Coeur, who are exploring and have recently drilled our Joaquin gold-silver property”, stated Mary Little, President and Chief Executive Officer of Mirasol Resources Ltd. “Coeur brings exceptional geological and local operational expertise to the Nico Project and we look forward to a productive venture.”

Gold Project Update, Tanzania by Lake Victoria Mining Company, Inc.- Kalemela

2009-03-14T16:31:00.000-07:00

Top mining News: Here is the mining news from Tanzania. It is reported that Lake Victoria Mining Company Inc. provide an update of exploration activities at its Kalemela Gold Project in northern Tanzania. The further news is as follows:

Lake Victoria Mining Company Inc. provide an update of exploration activities at its Kalemela Gold Project in northern Tanzania. This emerging gold exploration project lies northeast of the Company’s Geita Gold Project and 140 kilometers northeast of the town of Mwanza. The Kalemela Gold Project is assumed to be the western extension of the Kilimafedha Gold Mines, colonial mining district.

At the Kalemela Gold Project, Lake Victoria Mining Company controls 262 square kilometers held within three exploration licenses; a detailed 2,226 line kilometer ground magnetic survey was recently completed within this property. The survey was contracted to Geo Can Resources and conducted with a continuous reading, GPS controlled GEM System magnetometer model number GSM-19W. Preliminary data processing indicates at least five new structural intersections are present below shallow clay and soil cover. These previously unknown intersections consist of prominent northwest trending structures that are crosscut by smaller northeast trending fault and fracture zones. These features lie within Precambrian greenstone rocks and are the primary focus of our exploration.

To further define these new targets identified by the magnetic survey, soil geochemical samples are being collected on 200 meter spaced north-south lines; individual targeted areas are spaced at 50 meters. A total of 1069 samples have been sent into the lab and assay results are pending. To date, anomalous gold results have identified a two by two kilometer structurally complex area in the eastern part of the project; samples are still being collected in the western locations over the recently identified structural intersections. Once the soil sample results are evaluated, shallow trenches may be excavated and an electrical induced polarization (I.P.) planned with the objective to define possible drill targets.

Dr. Roger Newell, President of Lake Victoria Mining Company, is currently in Tanzania overseeing the field exploration and data processing to define drill targets at the Kalemela gold project. This is happening concurrent with an aggressive 6000 meter Reverse Circulation (RC) drilling program on its Geita property, about 80 kilometers west of Mwanza. Lake Victoria’s Geita Gold Project is bordered by AngloGold Ashanti’s Geita gold mine which has ore reserves reckoned at 8.5Moz and mineral resources at 14.7Moz. The Geita mining district is one of the oldest and most productive in East Africa, and the Company is actively drilling strategically defined targets within the northeast quarter of its 43.77 square kilometer property. The results will be provided as they become available.

Top Mining News : Slam Exploration announces zinc - lead - silver resource at Nash Creek

2009-03-14T16:10:00.000-07:00

Top Mining News : This is the mining news about nash Creek Project in New Brunswick. It is reported that Slam Exploration Ltd. announces it has received a draft 43-101 Technical Report and resource estimate from Wardrop Engineering Inc. for its wholly-owned Nash Creek Project in New Brunswick. The complete mining news is as follows:

SLAM Exploration Ltd. announces it has received a draft 43-101 Technical Report and resource estimate from Wardrop Engineering Inc. for its wholly-owned Nash Creek Project in New Brunswick.

Using a 2% Zinc Equivalent cut-off and after mill recoveries are factored in, Wardrop estimates the Nash Creek deposit contains an indicated resource of 7,807,900 tonnes grading 2.72% zinc, 0.55% lead and 18.26 g/t silver plus an inferred resource of 1,211,700 tonnes grading 2.66% zinc, 0.52% lead and 18.00 g/t silver.

Drilling has been audited and validated by Wardrop in accordance with CIM Estimation of Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves Best Practice Guidelines and within NI 43-101 guidelines by Bob Jankovic, P. Geo., an independent Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101.

Mineral resources were classified according to the CIM Definition Standards for Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves (December 2005) by Bob Jankovic, P.Geo. of Wardrop Engineering, an independent Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101.

Wardrop is not aware of any known environmental, permitting, legal, title, taxation, socio-economic, marketing or other relevant issues that could potentially affect this estimate of mineral resources. There is insufficient information at this early stage of study to assess the extent to which the mineral resources will be affected by these factors.

Zinc and lead recovery rates were based on the results from metallurgical tests reported 8 January 2008 (stated below). Mill recovery used for silver was 50%, based on historical data.

The near-surface deposit is amenable to open pit mining. The deposit remains open to the north where the continuation of a resistivity anomaly shows potential to extend the near-surface mineralization.

The property boasts excellent infrastructure with a power-line, railway and major highway transecting the property. These links provide immediate access to the Belledune seaport and lead smelter located within 25 km as well as Xstrata’s BMS No. 12 mine and mill within 75 km. Blue Note’s Caribou mine and mill, currently on care and maintenance status, is approximately 90 km by road from Nash Creek.

Preliminary metallurgical tests reported 8 January 2008 show projected mill recovery rates of 90.5% for zinc and 81.5% for lead. These tests produced a zinc concentrate grading 54.5% zinc, 0.9% lead, 5.7% iron and 115 grams per tonne silver as well as a lead concentrate grading 48.51% lead, 5.88% zinc, 16.83% iron and 160 grams per tonne silver.

Crude oil price drops sharply (UPI)

2009-02-20T15:40:00.000-08:00

NEW YORK, Feb. 20 (UPI) -- Crude oil prices dropped sharply Friday to about $37 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange, as prices fell from a strong rally in the previous session.

ECCO Energy Signs Letter of Intent With Samurai Corp to Acquire 40 Producing Wells in Ohio

2009-02-20T15:36:00.000-08:00

On December 31, 2008, ECCO Energy Corp. signed a letter of intent to purchase properties from Samurai Corp, Inc., including the working interests in the properties previously owned by Lake Fork Resources, LLC in Ohio and the M-J Oil Company, also in Ohio.

These acquisitions include 40 producing wells and multiple development drilling opportunities, as well as opportunities to increase production from currently producing wells. These wells are located in eleven counties in eastern Ohio. ECCO will operate all of the wells. There are multiple productive horizons, including the Clinton Sandstone, Ohio Shale, Oriskany Sandstone, Berea Sandstone and Marcellus Shale. Current net production is approximately 240 mcf and 23 barrels of oil per day.

ECCO plans to complete the transaction by the end of February 2009, and the effective date of the transaction will be December 31, 2008.

Sam Skipper, ECCO’s President, said, “This is a major acquisition for our company. It provides us with additional producing property with long life reserves. ECCO’s management team has identified 18 existing wells containing Marcellus Shale sands, and once recompleted, we feel the properties will significantly enhance current production with additional oil and gas volume.”

Crude oil price drops sharply (Moldova.org)

2009-02-20T15:33:00.000-08:00

Crude oil prices dropped sharply Friday to about $37 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange, as prices fell from a strong rally in the previous session.

Crude oil prices settled back in early trading, shedding $2.12 to $37.36 per barrel. Heating oil prices lost 0.0437 cents to $1.1608 per gallon. Reformulated blendstock gasoline fell 0.053 cents to $1.0456 per gallon. Natural gas prices

Brinx Announces First Well in the 2008-3 Program Intercepts 200 Feet of Gross Pay

2009-02-20T15:28:00.000-08:00

Brinx Resources has announced that the first well in Ranken Energy’s 2008-3 drilling program, the Selman #1-21, was drilled and reached a total depth of 6842 feet on January 28, 2009.

Open logs were run on the well and indicate a gross pay interval with gas shows from 6046′-6051′ in the Gibson Sand and from 6054′-6234′ and 6444′-6460′ in the Viola Formation. Scattered minor shows were also present in the interval between the 6234′ and 6444′ The top of the Viola was found 47 feet structurally high to the nearest well that produced 577 million cubic feet of gas and 9,572 barrels of oil. Completion of the well should start within the next two weeks.

The 2008-3 program is composed of four 3-D seismically defined separate prospects with one exploratory well in three of the prospects and two in the fourth prospect. Targeted pay zones for each of the four prospects include the prolific Oil Creek and Bromide Sands, Viola Limestone, Deese Sandstone and Layton Sandstone. One of the exploration wells has very similar geology and structure to the Bromide sands in the successful Owl Creek field previously owned by Brinx.

The recent drop in drilling and completing costs within the oil and gas sector has encouraged Brinx to resume its exploration activities. It is anticipated that the successful wells in this program will lead to additional development wells that can be drilled when the market for oil and gas prices recover. These potential well locations and those that already have been identified on Brinx’s other two prospects, both of which are still producing economic quantities of oil and gas, should give Brinx ample locations to drill in the future.

Brinx Resources is an expanding exploration company focused on developing North American oil and natural gas reserves. The Company’s current focus is on the continued exploration and development of its land portfolio comprised of working interests in the Three Sand Project in Noble County, Oklahoma (40% interest); 5% working interest in the Ranken Energy’s 2008-3 program; and the Palmetto Point Project in Mississippi (8 to 8.5% interest). Brinx Resources is seeking to further develop its existing project through development or offset drilling and expand its portfolio to include additional interests North America.

Mining Engineer

2009-02-20T02:05:00.000-08:00

Labor, Mine Safety and Health Administration - Pikeville, KY engineering services in all aspects of both underground and surface mining. The incumbent is assigned professional engineering, inspection and related...
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Business Operations/ Financial Analyst Badger Mining Corpora...

2009-02-20T02:04:00.000-08:00

BADGER MINING - Oshkosh, WI Financial Analyst Badger Mining Corporation voted... Mining Corporation offers excellent benefits & a flexible work schedule. Send resumes to: Badger Mining...
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IT Global Project Manager - Operations Mining Solutions

2009-02-20T02:01:00.000-08:00

Newmont Mining Corporation - Greenwood Village, CO regional and site IT Mining Solutions issues and... Mining globally. Provide advice to the regional/site management team(s) regarding prospects for IT Mining...
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Underground Mining Team

2009-02-20T01:53:00.000-08:00

Underground Mining Team

Frasure Creek Mining - Beckley, WV 4209005 Underground Mining Team About the Job... of the Underground Mining team at Frasure Creek Mining Co. LLC. We are an up and rising underground mining...
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Slam Exploration announces zinc - lead - silver resource at Nash Creek

2009-02-20T01:42:00.000-08:00

SLAM Exploration Ltd. announces it has received a draft 43-101 Technical Report and resource estimate from Wardrop Engineering Inc. for its wholly-owned Nash Creek Project in New Brunswick.

Using a 2% Zinc Equivalent cut-off and after mill recoveries are factored in, Wardrop estimates the Nash Creek deposit contains an indicated resource of 7,807,900 tonnes grading 2.72% zinc, 0.55% lead and 18.26 g/t silver plus an inferred resource of 1,211,700 tonnes grading 2.66% zinc, 0.52% lead and 18.00 g/t silver.

Drilling has been audited and validated by Wardrop in accordance with CIM Estimation of Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves Best Practice Guidelines and within NI 43-101 guidelines by Bob Jankovic, P. Geo., an independent Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101.

Mineral resources were classified according to the CIM Definition Standards for Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves (December 2005) by Bob Jankovic, P.Geo. of Wardrop Engineering, an independent Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101.

Wardrop is not aware of any known environmental, permitting, legal, title, taxation, socio-economic, marketing or other relevant issues that could potentially affect this estimate of mineral resources. There is insufficient information at this early stage of study to assess the extent to which the mineral resources will be affected by these factors.

Zinc and lead recovery rates were based on the results from metallurgical tests reported 8 January 2008 (stated below). Mill recovery used for silver was 50%, based on historical data.

The near-surface deposit is amenable to open pit mining. The deposit remains open to the north where the continuation of a resistivity anomaly shows potential to extend the near-surface mineralization.

The property boasts excellent infrastructure with a power-line, railway and major highway transecting the property. These links provide immediate access to the Belledune seaport and lead smelter located within 25 km as well as Xstrata’s BMS No. 12 mine and mill within 75 km. Blue Note’s Caribou mine and mill, currently on care and maintenance status, is approximately 90 km by road from Nash Creek.

Preliminary metallurgical tests reported 8 January 2008 show projected mill recovery rates of 90.5% for zinc and 81.5% for lead. These tests produced a zinc concentrate grading 54.5% zinc, 0.9% lead, 5.7% iron and 115 grams per tonne silver as well as a lead concentrate grading 48.51% lead, 5.88% zinc, 16.83% iron and 160 grams per tonne silver.

Iran Oil: The New Middle East Challenge to America

2009-01-09T18:18:00.000-08:00

From the dramatic moment in the early hours of 26 May 1908 when a British geologist, George Reynolds, was suddenly woken in his tent by earth tremors and the sound of something violently bursting through the ground outside, Iran's oil has always been an intensely political commodity. for in the years that followed their discovery, at this remote wilderness spot known as Masjid-i-Suleiman, these enormous oil reserves were a prize of immense value over which numerous participants played desperate political games and fought often vicious military battles, typically sparing no expense in their determination to take procession or to keep rivals at bay.

Gulf Oil and Gas: Ensuring Economic Security

2009-01-09T18:13:00.000-08:00

In recent years, geopolitical disruptions, tightening oil supply, refining constraints and rising demand have combined to maintain high oil prices, allowing Middle East oil producers to capitalize on the resulting revenue windfall. However, formidable challenges for long-term production loom ahead: Can Gulf oil producers allay the supply security concerns of major consumer nations? How will limitations in crude quality and constraints in refining capacity impact on global energy markets? How can OPEC maintain reasonable oil prices in the face of exhaustible oil supplies and inexhaustible global demand? How will growing non-OPEC production affect OPEC’s predominant market position in the future?

Gulf Oil and Gas assesses the vital energy issues: the globalization of the gas trade, trends in crude quality; cooperation between consumers and producers; links between national and foreign oil companies; future demand for Gulf energy; prospects for augmented Gulf production; sustainability of Saudi Arabia’s excess capacity; concerns over oilfield security; imperatives for attracting investment and the need for additional oil refining capacity. For the Gulf producers, ensuring economic security means going beyond petroleum resource management to formulate policies leading to diversified national development and greater economic cohesion while safeguarding the region’s strategic position in an integrated world economy.

Can Gulf oil producers allay the supply security concerns of major consumer nations? How will limitations in crude quality and constraints in refining capacity impact on global energy markets? How can OPEC maintain reasonable oil prices in the face of exhaustible oil supplies and inexhaustible global demand? How will growing non-OPEC production affect OPEC’s predominant market position in the future? Gulf Oil and Gas assesses the vital energy issues: the globalization of the gas trade, trends in crude quality; cooperation between consumers and producers; links between national and foreign oil companies; future demand for Gulf energy; prospects for augmented Gulf production; sustainability of Saudi Arabia’s excess capacity; concerns over oilfield security; imperatives for attracting investment and the need for additional oil refining capacity.

Advances in Gold Ore Processing,Volume 15 (Developments in Mineral Processing)

2008-12-11T19:19:00.000-08:00

"The book should be of great use to mineral processing engineers, metallurgists, process mineralogists, mining engineers, environmental engineers, consultants, plant managers, and students. It is certain that it will be the source book for those working in the field for decades to come. I consider this is the Book of the Year!"

Biogeochemical, Health, and Ecotoxicological Perspectives on Gold and Gold Mining

2008-12-11T19:13:00.000-08:00

Despite the esteemed nature of gold in society, evidence of adverse ecotoxicological effects and risk to human health in various mining and extraction techniques has generated increasing interest in the biological and environmental implications of gold. Biogeochemical, Health, and Ecotoxicological Perspectives on Gold and Gold Mining is the first comprehensive book to evaluate the effect of gold production and use on human health as well as the environmental impact of gold mining and extraction.

Dr. Ronald Eisler, a well-known senior research biologist and expert in the chemical and biological effects of various compounds on wildlife, provides a thorough risk assessment of gold, including its geology and sources and physical, chemical, and metabolic properties. The author documents gold concentrations and field collections of abiotic materials and biota and presents research on the lethal and sublethal effects of gold on plants and animals. Supported by case histories, the book examines health risks in gold miners, human sensitivity to jewelry and dental implants, and medicinal uses. It uses examples in several countries to thoroughly explore the environmental effects of gold extraction, including tailings disposal, acid mine drainage, cyanide, arsenic, and mercury contamination, water management issues, and abandoned mines. Unlike traditional risk assessments, the author also takes into account social, political, economic, medicinal, and psychological variables for a more complete perspective on gold's impact on health and the environment. Biogeochemical, Health, and Ecotoxicological Perspectives on Gold and Gold Mining concludes with a discussion on mining legislation, safety, and procedures.

Gold Mining Together

2008-12-11T02:10:00.000-08:00

Gold mining is a great way to spend time outdoors with friends and family. This book gives you everything that you need to start this exciting hobby right now. Who knows, maybe you will strike it rich. Here is a list of the chapters: - Togetherness - Looking For Gold - Background of Gold Mining - Panning For Gold - Sluice Boxes & High Bankers - Dredging - Dry Mining & Dry Washing - Sniping & Crevicing - Gold Mining Activities - Glossary of Terms Order today and start enjoying gold mining now!

Review : By G. Garcia "Gold Digger"

OMG, I never knew there were so many ways to find gold. Using the tips from this book allowed my family to go out with our gold pans and find Gold. I would never have known where to look but with Jeff's advice we were able to go to the right spots. We are hooked!! Thank You so much for making this book so easy to follow.

Empires of Industry - Black Gold: The Story of Oil (History Channel)

2008-12-10T21:49:00.000-08:00

The most valuable substance on earth has brought wealth to poor nations and nearly bankrupted wealthy ones. It has created cities overnight--sometimes destroying them just as quickly--and has caused rampant international warfare. When a Canadian chemist found a way to turn petroleum into kerosene in the 1850s, the need for oil exploded. "Black gold" burns at the heart of the modern age, making those who control it the wealthiest and most powerful men on earth.

BLACK GOLD: THE STORY OF OIL narrates the stories of these men--including John D. Rockefeller and William Mellon--and the empires they built. Learn how oil came to dominate American industry--and about the nation's current dependency--and discover why the resource continues to cause global flare-ups. EMPIRES OF INDUSTRY presents the comprehensive history of "black gold," the resource that continues to govern our world. DVD Features: Interactive Menus; Scene Selection

Nontechnical Guide to Petroleum Geology, Exploration, Drilling and Production

2008-12-10T21:46:00.000-08:00

Used by corporate training departments and colleges worldwide, this is the most complete upstream guide available. Contents: The nature of gas and oil The Earth's crust - where we find time Deformation of sedimentary rocks Sandstone reservoir rocks Carbonate reservoir rocks Sedimentary rock distribution Mapping Ocean environment and plate tectonics Source rocks, generation, migration, and accumilation of petroleum Petroleum traps Petroleum exploration - geological and geochemical Petroleum exploration - geophysical Drilling preliminaries Drilling a well - the mechanics Drilling problems Drilling techniques Evaluating a well Completing a well Surface treatment and storage Offshore drilling and production Workover Reservoir mechanics Petroleum production Reserves Improved oil recovery.

In attempting to get quickly up to speed on the oil business for the purpose of participating in a few wells as a (very) small investor, I bought about ten books of various sorts. This is one of them, and has turned out to be the one I refer to the most.

First, let me say that there are two different types of books on drilling for oil/gas. Broadly, they are books that concentrate mainly on the financial and legal structure of oil deals and books that concentrate on where it is and how to get it out of the ground. This book is of the second sort.

The "nontechnical" part of the title is only partly true. Some of the descriptions are sufficiently technical to impart a working understanding of the operations in the field. I, for instance, have been going to our rig (now drilling) and asking questions ("What's that blue thing?"), then coming home and reading about what I was told ("The jar is a section of pipe that either mechanically....").

Same with the drilling reports I receive.... I can look up that part of the drilling operation (ie, "sliding") and get a much better understanding of what's happening. A book comes in handy, after all, the tool pushers out on the rigs seem to be men of few words.

There is also a pretty good basic course in petroleum geology in the first thirteen chapters. And, the science (art?) of geophysics gets a good once-over, too, though I confess I've not paid much attention to it yet.

There are chapters on reservoirs, completion, offshore, production, workover, and more, all of which is written at the same level, and much of which I've not read in depth, only scanned. I'll read it as we get there out in the field.

This is a sufficiently information-dense book that actually sitting and reading it from cover to cover won't realistically happen for most folks, no matter how involved. It's more of a textbook and reference resource.

There are lots of diagrams and drawings and pictures (probably three hundred) and they help a lot. The lengthy glossary is OK, though I've not found a petroleum business glossary that seems to be truly comprehensive. (That was written before I found, and ordered, the comprehensive "Dictionary of Petroleum Exploration, Drilling & Production" by who else but Norman J. Hyne, Ph.D.,.... and nope, I have no axe to grind here; and yes, I have noticed that Norman seems to favor long titles). The folks in the oil business rely very heavily on their own language that is a combination of truly technical terminology, oilman slang and everything in between. A glossary is handy. Also be forewarned that the business uses lots of abbreviations, and they seem to change somewhat from company to company, so that a glossary won't ever have all of the abbreviations in use in the field.

There are some other books that do a pretty good job on a more basic level, including "Money In The Ground" by John Orban, III (which also includes deal structure), but, if you are looking for a book that is deep enough to give you a good understanding of the many various aspects of drilling for oil, this is the book.

CGX Energy Completes Corentyne 3D Seismic Program

2008-12-10T21:36:00.000-08:00

CGX Energy Inc. announce that shooting of the 536 sq km 3D seismic survey on CGX’s 100% Corentyne Petroleum Prospecting Licence (PPL) has been completed. In the Georgetown PPL, in which CGX holds a 25% interest, the survey has been expanded by 200 sq km to 1,850 sq km. The Georgetown survey has been shot in parallel with the Corentyne and is expected to be completed after the New Year.

Kerry Sully, President & CEO stated, “CGX Energy’s share of the combined program is estimated to be $16 million, including this seismic. The Company’s Board of Directors has approved a capital program for the period ending September 2009 of $18 million. Additional items will include seismic interpretation, well drilling design and an environmental assessment study. These items will be funded by CGX from existing working capital that at the end of September 2008 was approximately $35 million.”

CGX Energy Inc. is a Canadian-based oil and gas exploration company focused on the exploration for oil in the Guyana basin. CGX is managed by a team of experienced oil and gas and finance professionals from Canada, USA and the UK. CGX is financed internationally and has shareholders worldwide.

Additional information on CGX Energy may also be examined and/or obtained through the internet by accessing CGX Energy’s website at www.cgxenergy.com

Oil and Labor in the Middle East: Saudi Arabia and the Oil Boom

2008-12-03T01:49:00.000-08:00

Based on the author's first-hand research and experience in Saudi Arabia, this monograph presents a highly readable account of the internationalization of the Middle East's labor force during and after the oil boom of 1973-83. Written from the perspective of an active participant rather than that of an academic observer, Oil and Labor in the Middle East analyzes the expatriate workers' world and the multinational companies employing them. It will prove particularly valuable to readers -- business executives, workers, government representatives, and labor leaders -- involved in the exchange of labor across national borders.. Woodward demonstrates that the treatments influx of foreign workers into the Middle East during the oil boom created a complex supranational world of people and corporations -- and an inevitable clash of cultural, economic, and political perspectives.

He explores facets of the expatriate experience that have received little treatment elsewhere: the labor pyramid, the relationship between expatriate and host country labor force, the commercial/industrial environment, bargaining position and risk, and the governments of countries sending labor overseas. Finally, Woodward examines individual considerations critical to the decision to become an expatriate worker: personal motivation, living conditions, cultural differences, salaries, and the value of savings.

Caterpillar Chronicle: History of the Greatest Earthmovers

2008-12-01T02:09:00.000-08:00

With unprecedented access to Caterpillar archives, Eric Orlemann delivers the hard-working history of Caterpillar, from the earliest Best- and Holt-built steam traction engines up through today's massive earthmovers. Witness the post-war construction boom and see how these giant earthmoving machines grew and evolved to meet demand. CAT's incredible machines power through the pages of time to reveal the full and fascinating Caterpillar Chronicle.

Once again, Eric Orlemann has come up with the goods. "Caterpillar Chronicle" is a superbly illustrated volume full of wonderful photographs of all kinds of Caterpillar Machinery. A fan of Caterpillar for years, I found it a joy to turn each page in anticipation, to be rewarded with another stunning photograph.

From the "Best Steamer" to the massive Caterpillar 797 dump truck, "Caterpillar Chronicle" contains something for everyone who ever loved Caterpillar machinery. I found the photographs of the prototypes and pre-production machines especially interesting. To trace the history of the famous Cat D10 tractor through its development is one of the highlights of the book. I am sure that one could write a whole book devoted to the prototypes, one offs and the concepts that never made it to production.

The text is well written and tells the story of the history of these machines well, with lots of detail. The large format of the book is great, as well as its quality. Well bound and protected by its hard cover, it will be the centre of my collection for many years, and last as long as these wonderful machines.

Colossal Earthmovers (Enthusiast Color)

2008-12-01T02:01:00.000-08:00

This concise color history packs a wide assortment of the mighty machines that provide the muscle for America's construction and mining industries. Haulers, hydraulic excavators, wheel loaders, bulldozers, scrapers, motor graders, walking draglines, large-cable excavators, bucket-wheel excavators, and stripping shovels are featured. Several examples from each class are depicted in a selection of job-site photographs and described with detailed information about top manufacturers, dimensions, capacities, horsepower ratings, and significant developments in earthmover evolution. Keith Haddock is also the author of MBI's Giant Earthmovers: An Illustrated History.

To any one who loves the big machines this book is a must have.

Keith Hoddock has got to be one of the premier authors on this subject. Keith has 10 chapters of some of the best writing on earthmovers that you can find. There are numerous pictures from B&W to color, that show all the different types of machines being discussed.

This book is also loaded with facts and figures about different machines and manufacturers that make it a very good reference guide.

This book will make a fine addition to any earthmoving library.

Giant Earthmovers: An Illustrated History

2008-12-01T01:56:00.000-08:00

A comprehensive review of earthmoving and construction equipment from the birth of primitive industrial tools to today's awe-inspiring machines! The biggest haulers, dozers, scrapers and unusual specialty equipment in the field are presented here in over 500 black-and-white photographs. The author's expertly written text details machine categories and discusses the history, evolution, design and manufacture of these industry giants. Packed full of top-quality archival photographs, most taken from manufacturer archives.

Keith Haddock has written a serious and lavishly illustrated introduction to the world of heavy equipment, a world not used to being treated in such an adult fashion.

Haddock traces the history and development of each type of machine listed in his book, along with their manufacturuers,and the history of each brand name in the field. Accompanying the text are a series of clear, relevant photographs that illustrate different brands and periods in the development of each machine. Whereas many books drop an adult approach for the "Oh Boy, What a Big Machine That Is!" view of things, Haddock sticks with his conviction that he is writing for an intelligent audience interested in the history and development of heavy earthmoving machines. It is an approach I greatly appreciate.

One qualm with this book and others like it: There is too much emphasis placed on the largest of the machines; probably in the belief that this is the only way to sell such an intelligent book. However, if this is the only approach, why are there no color photos? While I can appreciate the size of a Caterpillar Model 24H grader, let's face the fact that the graders we normally deal with, and the graders that helped build America's road system, are the Cat Models 10 and 12 grader. Also what about the automatic paving machine and ther roller. We never hear of their stories; yet without them, roads would be much the worse for wear.

But until such a book comes out, Haddock's tome is well worth the time and money and is guaranteed intelligent reading with much to offer in the way of learning.

Extreme Mining Machines: Stripping Shovels and Walking Draglines

2008-12-01T01:52:00.000-08:00

Discover the largest machines ever used in the mining industry. Giant mining equipment such as stripping shovels and walking dragline shovels were at one time the largest machines to ever move on land. Packed with amazing photos, this book chronicles the history of the machines built from 1900 to 1971. The sheer size and mind-blowing capacity of these mining machines has won many fans. Also provides information about construction, operation, and maintenance. A necessity for earthmover or big-machine enthusiasts!

I enjoyed this book. It has a wealth of background information and contains good diagrams (such as how a walking dragline propels itself) that are not easy to find. Well-researched and well written in a style that is easy to follow and understand. The tables in the back are complete and helpful to anyone researching shovels & draglines. The photographs are great (and many in color, a nice feature), and illustrate the differences between the machines. The details of mining operations and company histories are much better than I would have expected in a 120-page book, considering the scope of the subject. I would recommend this book to anyone with even the slightest interest in mining. A layperson will be able to skip a sentence or two and still add a great deal to their knowledge base. People in fields associated with mining will also learn something, and enjoyably.

Heavy Equipment (Enthusiast Color)

2008-12-01T01:49:00.000-08:00

Monster machines of all shapes and sized are featured in this colorful package. Bulldozers, Giant Dump Trucks, and Earthmovers combine in this value priced paperback

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Mining Equipment : Bucyrus

2008-12-01T01:46:00.000-08:00

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The Earthmover Encyclopedia

2008-12-01T01:37:00.000-08:00

The Earthmover Encyclopedia gives you all the dirt on every piece of earthmoving machinery made. This ultimate reference guide of earthmoving machinery covers rare milestones as well as the most popular machines. Vividly educating 900 photos, this encyclopedia explains the creation, development, and evolution of all classes of equipment. Vital stats on each machine, emphasizing record-setting equipment, are provided in detail. A surplus of information on loading and stripping shovels, walking draglines, hydraulic and buck wheel excavators, haul trucks, wheel loaders and bulldozers is featured.

• Most extensive history ever published on earthmovers
• Over 900 photos with detailed captions
• Extends far beyond pre-existing books on the subject

Mining Equipment: "Giant Earthmovers Calendar"

2008-12-01T01:32:00.000-08:00

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The Earthmover Encyclopedia: The Complete Guide to Heavy Equipment of the World

2008-12-01T01:07:00.000-08:00

This colossal reference book documents the timeless human urge to reshape the world. Here, in detailed pictures and authoritative text, are the machines that have moved the earth from the 1800s to today. The copiously illustrated encyclopedia catalogs nearly every piece of heavy equipment ever made, by model and manufacturer, from the largest dozers and diggers to smaller utility tractors and loaders. The Earthmover Encyclopedia remains the most comprehensive, exhaustive book on the world’s most hard-working vehicles and machines.

Classic Caterpillar Crawlers

2008-12-01T00:57:00.000-08:00

Since producing its first harvester in 1885 under the Best brand name, Caterpillar has been a leader in the construction and earthmoving industries, and most recently, has become one of the top five in agriculture. While providing limited coverage of Cat construction and mining machinery, this new photo-history provides a concise overview that focuses on the maker's agricultural line, including early steam and diesel tractors and significant postwar machinery. Photos are both archival and modern.

Not just another Caterpillar book! This is the ultimate reference on Caterpillar crawler tractors. Every tractor covered in detail from the origins of the Holt and Best crawler tractors to the introduction of the D9. Background stories include: choosing Caterpillar yellow, and the first diesels. Spectacular color photographs by Eric C. Orlemann are all new, never before published. TABLES LIST EVERY MODEL OF CRAWLER TRACTOR WITH DATES, SERIAL NO. PREFIXES, AND PRODUCTION NUMBERS UP TO THE D9. Never before published in such detail or accuracy (Military models included). Final chapter brings tractors up to date including the Challengers. A superb reference book for every Caterpillar enthusiast.
BONUS:- A table lists every Caterpillar product with date of introduction. (First time published)

10" Gold Pan Mining Panning Prospecting Dredge Tool

2008-12-01T00:52:00.000-08:00

Gold Pan Great For Sluicing & Panning. This is a new black plastic gold pan. Great for sluicing and panning. The ridges will trap the gold and the color will show any traces of gold. It's light weight makes it easy to carry. It measures approximately 10" (254 mm) in diameter FindingKing works hard to update our descriptions and pictures of our merchandise.

As part of a process of ongoing innovation by our suppliers, newer versions of the item shown may be shipped before we are able to complete an update. As a result there may be a slight variation in color and design.

Historic Mining & Blasting Industry Films DVD: Coal, Copper, Salt & Iron Ore Mines, Miners & Mining Equipment Videos

2008-12-01T00:48:00.000-08:00

This visually stunning compilation of historic mining films is the only such DVD available on the market. Each vintage film shows a different angle of the mining industry. Running time 84 minutes. TABLE OF CONTENTS: White Wonder (1958) - 28 minutes running time - This film takes a look at the extraction of salt and its many uses in our culture. Copper Mining and Smelting (1950s) - 11 minutes running time - Learn everything about copper mining and smelting while you gaze at the amazing bright-orange scenery.

What a visually stunning film! South Dakota Saga (1940) - 31 minutes running time - A fascinating look at how ore is mined and brought to the surface. The best film for explaining how a mining company operates. Iron County: Iron Ore and Minnesota's Future (1952) - 22 minutes running time - A focused, localized look at how the iron ore industry should continue to spur economic development in Minnesota.

Bucyrus Heavy Equipment: Construction and Mining Machines 1880-2007

2008-12-01T00:45:00.000-08:00

Bucyrus-Erie Company is a name synonymous with moving the earth. From the smallest loader-backhoe to some of the largest machines ever to move on land, no other company has produced such a wide variety of types and sizes of excavating equipment. With a rich heritage going back 128 years the company, now known as Bucyrus International Inc., is still designing and building some of the world’s largest shovels and walking draglines.

Nothing could be more apt to describe this manufacturing power house than its slogan used in the 1960s “The Longest Line on Earth”. Over 450 spectacular black and white photos combined with detailed captions chronicle and describe all the major equipment product lines from Bucyrus Company, Erie Steam Shovel, Bucyrus-Erie and Ruston-Bucyrus. Every machine model from the extensive lines of cable excavators, hydraulic excavators, walking draglines, stripping shovels and drills is included, plus tables of machine introductions and production. There’s also detailed coverage of floating dredges, tractor equipment, cranes, bucket wheel excavators and other special machines. This book is sure to satisfy the serious equipment historian as well as the enthusiast.

The Uranium exploration Investigation Permits of Mawson in spain granted

2008-11-30T23:49:00.000-08:00

Mawson Resources Limited, Michael Hudson, President & CEO, advises that Mawson’s Don Benito Uranium exploration Investigation Permits in Spain have been granted.

The Don Benito Uranium Investigation Permits lie in the La Haba district, Extremadura region of south-western Spain, in one of two principal historic uranium mining and processing areas in the country. Two “Permisos de Investigación” (12684-D and 12686-D) totalling 14,972 hectares have been granted for an initial period of 3 years. The permits cover 3 historic project areas: La Haba, Corredor de la Guarda and Las Cruces-Manantial.

Twenty-six surface radiometric anomalies have been identified to date within the granted area. These anomalies are spread over 32 kilometres strike about a sediment-radiogenic granite contact which forms the uranium-bearing target horizon, indicating the potential scale of the mineral system. Thirty-two holes are known to have been drilled within the granted area.

The Don Benito uranium claims surround the La Haba open pit uranium mine and resource area which ceased operation in 1990. The mine and resource area are currently held within the 3,865 hectare La Haba State Mineral Reserve to which Mawson has no entitlement. Spanish Mining Law states that on lifting of a State Mineral Reserve, the mineral rights will fall to the holder of the overlying granted permits. Mawson remains in discussion with the Spanish authorities.

Mr Hudson states, “This is a significant milestone for Mawson in Spain. The potential for further uranium discoveries along strike from the La Haba mine area, within the granted areas is demonstrated by the 26 surface anomalies already identified by ground scintillometer surveying along the 32 kilometres of uranium host horizon. Mawson plans to initiate exploration by flying an airborne radiometric and magnetic survey over the large land package. We look forward to continuing discussions regarding the Mineral State Reserve area with the Spanish authorities. Consolidation of mineral tenure in the Don Benito area is one key for the successful development of the project.”

The qualified person for the Mawson’s Spanish uranium projects, Mark Saxon, Director and Vice-President of Exploration for Mawson, and a member of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, has reviewed and verified the contents of this release.

About the Company: Mawson Resources holds significant uranium resources in the nuclear energy reliant countries of Spain, Sweden and Finland. As the European Union reduces its reliance on carbon-based energy sources, Mawson is well placed as the Company develops its exploration portfolio towards the sustainable production of uranium in the shortest possible time frame.

Loan Facility of Austral Pacific Energy Ltd.

2008-11-30T23:46:00.000-08:00

Austral Pacific Energy Ltd. announces that it has agreed with its loan facility provider, Investec Bank (Australia) Ltd, to further restructure the facility.

Under the agreement with Investec, the maturity date for the current facility has now been pushed back to the end of January, and the Bank has proposed to work with Austral through this period to restructure the facility.

Austral will immediately pay part of the loan down, by payments of cash on hand and from closing out the oil puts taken out in May 2008.