Gold Pour Signals Revival in the Mother Lode

Miners are digging again where their forebears once unearthed riches from eight historic mines that honeycomb Sutter Gold Mining Company’s holdings about 50 miles southeast of Sacramento.

Feds Challenge North Idaho Mining Claims

Fishing, camping and the protection of American Indian artifacts along a 30-mile section of the North Fork of the Clearwater River outweigh the desire of placer miners to search for gold, an attorney representing the US Forest Service said.

$50 Million Swiped in Diamond Heist

Eight masked gunmen forced their way through the security fence at Brussels’ international airport, drove onto the tarmac and snatched some $50 million worth of diamonds from the hold of a Swiss-bound plane without firing a shot.

A Gold Mine on a Washington Beach?

Bela and Barbara Kovacs began prospecting for gold about seven years ago as a family orientated outdoors activity. A welder by trade and lured by the simple fact that beach sands can contain small bits of precious metals, Bela decided a few years ago to build a sand sucking contraption that can sift the shoreline for anything worth keeping.

Judge Tosses Lawsuit Against Tucson-Area Mine

A federal judge has tossed a lawsuit filed by opponents of a Tucson-area mine that had accused the US Forest Service of violating two federal laws in its handling of the mine issue.

US Policies Holding Back Arizona

Washington’s decision to bar new uranium mining near the Grand Canyon and other federal policies on energy and resource issues are barriers holding back Arizona and its residents from prosperity, Governor Jan Brewer told a congressional hearing March 16.

Pursuing Rare Earths in Wyoming

The company that wants to build and operate the mine, Rare Element Resources Ltd., promises high-wage jobs and economic vitality to an area where 40 percent of the population is age 50 or older.

Colorado Mining Association Appeals Roadless Ruling

The Colorado Mining Association is asking the US Supreme Court to review a 2001 rule that largely barred new roads on 58 million acres of roadless areas in national forests.

New Silver and Zinc Mine Slated for Montana

Arizona-based International Silver Inc. is proposing an underground silver and zinc mine in Montana and has asked Butte-Silver Bow County to lease them the surface and mineral rights to hundreds of acres.

Eastern Oregon Mine Seeks Permits

After a host of companies spent 20 years prospecting, a mining firm is ready to make a play on the $2 billion lode of gold sitting in Eastern Oregon.

Mining Returns to Historic Comstock

Mining has returned to Nevada’s historic Comstock more than 150 years after the discovery of one of the world’s richest silver veins touched off a frenzy that drew thousands of people west. But unlike the hard rock miners in the 1800s, the modern day operation involves huge trucks...

BLM Issues Environmental Review of Wyoming Uranium Mine

If all goes well before the BLM issues its final approval, Littleton, Colorado-based UR-Energy could start building the Lost Creek mine by early October, according to company and BLM officials.

Recluse Died with $7 Million in Gold

A Carson City recluse whose body was found in his home at least a month after he died left only $200 in his bank account.

Four Arrested for California Mining Museum Heist

Four men believed to be responsible for a September heist of about $1.3 million in precious gems and gold from a mining museum in the Sierra Nevada foothills have been arrested, the California Highway Patrol (CHP) said.

Silver Boom Prompts Idaho Mine Expansion

The Lucky Friday is already one of North America’s deepest hard-rock mines. Now, the 62-year-old mine is about to get much deeper.

Silver Mining Returning to Texas

Today, a Canadian company is reviving the mine to take advantage of silver prices that have tripled since 2009, giving the few dozen residents still living in the area more action than they’ve seen in decades.

Dredge Mining—Current Situation in Idaho

Tomten concedes the scenario of federal environmental agents swooping in on river dredges near historic mining towns like Idaho City, Rocky Bar or Placerville remains unlikely.

Nevada Gold Value Up Along With Production

Nevada gold mines produced only about 6 percent more gold in 2010 than they did the year before, but the value of that gold was up a whopping 33 percent.

Jury: Gov't Rightfully Seized 1933 Gold Coins

The verdict capped an unusual civil case that combined history, coin collecting and whether the $20 “double eagles” ever legally left the US Mint.

Managers at Fault for Two Deaths at Meikle Mine

Two miners were killed in an accident partly because someone wedged a broom handle against a reset button to bypass an alarm that would have shut down the system, federal safety investigators said.

Liberal Group Begins Push to Tax Mining in Nevada

A Nevada liberal advocacy group is mounting a drive to get voters to back a ballot measure to collect more taxes from gold mining.

Mining Reform and Congress

After years of negotiations between environmentalists and industry groups, observers say efforts to reform the 1872 Mining Law may finally pick up steam in Congress.

Michigan Approves Nickel, Copper Mine

Regulators gave final approval to a nickel and copper mine for the Upper Peninsula.

Utah Proposes Using Eminent Domain Against Federal Government

Conservative Utah lawmakers want to spark a US Supreme Court case that could ultimately allow states to develop resource-rich parcels of land that are now off limits where the federal government is the landlord.

Mining Trade Group Sues Nevada Over Tax Initiative

The Nevada Mining Association has filed a lawsuit to block a petition asking state voters to raise taxes on mining.

China Will Put Rio Tinto Employees on Trial

The Australian government confirmed it was notified that a Shanghai court will try the four Rio employees including an Australian national.

Investors Take a Shine to Platinum, Palladium

Move over gold and make way for platinum and palladium. Investors are taking a shine to these lesser-known precious metals as their prices rise.

Nevada Mining Tax Fails in Signature Drive

Backers of the petition drive that began five months ago said they secured only about two-thirds of the 97,000 signatures they needed by the deadline to place the measure on the November ballot.

Authorities Search for Lost Treasure Hunters

Rescue workers were searching a rugged Arizona wilderness area in triple-digit temperatures for three Utah men who went missing on July 11, while looking for the legendary Lost Dutchman Gold Mine.

Alaska Geologist Survives Grizzly Attack

“When he stepped into the clearing he didn’t snarl and stand up and show me how big he was. He just came for me,” Miller said.

Search Called Off for Missing Treasure Hunters

Treasure hunters have been looking for the Lost Dutchman mine for more than a century.

Stillwater At Half Speed

Stillwater Mining Company’s East Boulder platinum and palladium mine is back in operation, with its staff cut in half...

Elko County Has Highest State Median Income

New statistics released by the US Census Bureau show Elko County has the highest median family income in Nevada, thanks to the mining industry.

Pebble Deposit Reveals Mineral Potential

The vast potential of the Pebble deposit is becoming more clear each day.

Technology Opens Promise, Perils of Ocean Mining

There’s gold in that thar sea floor. Silver, copper, zinc and lead, too. The problem is, it’s a mile or two underwater and encased in massive mineral deposits that layer a dark, mysterious world.

Gold Pours Again at Jerritt Mine

Yukon-Nevada received permission last month from the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection to restart the mill, after the agency determined the company met environmental standards.

NASCAR Driver Turns Prospector

When he’s not searching for improvements on the track, the affable driver is prospecting for gold across the United States.

Chinese Buy Out Australian Miners

Some Australian lawmakers object to allowing Chinese government companies to buy mining assets that they say are a cornerstone of Australia’s economy.

Germany Developing Gold Vending Machine

It’s a novel twist on the vending machine: in go the coins, out comes a nugget of gold.

GM to Cancel Mining Contracts

Governor Brian Schweitzer is calling on the Obama administration to force General Motors to honor its contract with a Montana mining company instead of going overseas to buy the precious metals used to control vehicle pollution.

Newmont Fined for Fatality

The agency said managers “showed a disregard for the miners’ welfare” and acted with “more than ordinary negligence” before the victim fell through a sinkhole while operating a large loader about 200 feet below the entrance of the mine.

Rio Tinto: Allegations Without Foundation

Bribery allegations against four Rio Tinto employees detained in China are “wholly without foundation,” the mining company said, as Australia continued to press Beijing for details of a case that is straining ties between the two nations.

Abbey Confirmed As BLM Director

Bob Abbey, former state director of the Bureau of Land Management in Nevada, was confirmed as national director of the agency.

Noted Geologist Murdered in Kenya

Assailants armed with arrows, spears and machetes killed a Scottish-born geologist in an apparent dispute over mining rights in southeast Kenya.

Rio Employees Face Trade Secrets, Bribery Charges

China has formally arrested four employees of Anglo-Australian mining giant Rio Tinto Ltd. on charges of infringing trade secrets and bribery...

Company Finds Gold in Wyoming’s Rattlesnake Hills

Wayne Sutherland, a metals, gemstones and economic geology specialist with the Wyoming State Geological Survey, said the initial exploration samples were significant.

Possible Discovery Sparks New Klondike Gold Rush

...this time, instead of swarming over streams and gravel beds teasing out flakes of the precious metal, miners may have found the fabled and elusive mother lode.

Oregon Governor Asks For Mineral Withdrawal

Conservation groups hope to meld the three wilderness areas and surrounding parts of southwestern Oregon into one big wilderness covering 1 million acres—a move Kulongoski has endorsed.

Michigan Proposal Would Restrict Mining Operations

A group called Michigan Save Our Water Committee is seeking a Michigan ballot measure that would prohibit some types of mining and restrict others.

Nevada Regulators Reach Agreement With Queenstake Resources

Environmental regulators ordered Jerritt Canyon Mine near the Nevada-Idaho line closed on May 30 for failure to install equipment to control mercury air emissions. Yukon-Nevada blamed the failure on needed parts that didn’t arrive in time.

Stillwater Recovers Without GM’s Business

Stillwater Mining Company previously warned of possible layoffs after General Motors Co. canceled a major contract, but higher platinum and palladium prices have made up for the lost business.

Gold Has Shown Its Mettle, But How High Can It Go?

How high can gold go? How best to hold it? Questions on gold investment answered.

Utility Agrees to Remove Four Klamath River Dams

PacificCorp, which owns four hydroelectric dams on the Klamath River, has agreed to terms for their removal, a key milestone in efforts to restore what was once the third biggest salmon run on the West Coast and end decades of battles over scarce water.

Judge Rules Against Oregon Miner

A federal judge convicted Oregon miner Clifford Tracy of illegal mining while digging for gold on US Forest Service land.

Mining Restrictions Lifted in Southwest Alaska

Mining restrictions will be lifted on about 1 million acres of federal land in southwest Alaska, officials have announced.

Turning Waste Rock Into Profit

When others saw piles of waste rock at the former LTV Steel Mining property, Brad Gerlach saw opportunity.

Golden Sunlight Seeks Expansion

The Golden Sunlight Mine in Whitehall wants to expand its open pit operations, possibly extending the life of the mine by five years.

Government to Buy New World Mine Claims

A conservation group said it has an agreement to purchase nearly 1,500 acres of private mining claims northeast of Yellowstone National Park.

Legislation Would Require Palladium Coin

Pending legislation requiring the government to mint a $20 coin with palladium mined domestically would put Montana front and center.

Record Gold Prices Prompt Gold Mining In Boulder

Nearly 150 years after gold was discovered in Boulder County along Gold Run Creek, a couple of old mines are slowly cranking back into operation now that excavating the slender veins of precious metal is profitable again.

Miners Go To Work In Washington

Nearly two decades after it was first proposed, a mine on Buckhorn Mountain in remote north-central Washington will begin producing gold-bearing ore.

Whitehall Mine Foregoing Closure

Strong gold prices are making it profitable to keep the Golden Sunlight Mine here open through 2015, company officials said.

Work Begins At Rock Creek Mine

Work has begun on several buildings at the site of a proposed copper and silver mine that if approved would tunnel beneath Montana’s Cabinet Mountains Wilderness.

Major Miners Go on Buying Spree

 A little more than two years ago, the co-founders of a small Canadian mining company unearthed a gold and silver deposit in southeastern Ecuador that industry experts believe is the most significant discovery in at least a decade.

Winnemucca Rising While Other Towns Falter

Winnemucca has something almost every other place in Nevada wishes it had: jobs and relative prosperity.

Newmont Steps Up For Laid Off Workers

Newmont Mining Corp. covered the final uncashed paychecks of workers who were laid off in August from the Jerritt Canyon Mine by another mining outfit.

Gold Trader, Employee Charged with Wife’s Killing

A wealthy gold trader was charged with paying one of his workers to arrange the stabbing death of the businessman’s estranged wife...

Wyoming Governor Pushes for Uranium Study Release

With energy companies clamoring to produce more uranium, Wyoming Governor Dave Freudenthal is urging federal regulators not to delay release of an environmental study on in-situ mining.

Miners Find Encouraging Prospects Near Livengood

New exploration on land that was scoured for gold years ago near Livengood indicates the property could be developed into a mine on a scale similar to the Fort Knox Mine, according to a Colorado-based company.

Mining Tax Increase Suggested

Earlier this year when gold topped $1,000 an ounce, Gibbons, a former mining geologist and lawyer, vowed to veto any bill that called for increasing mining taxes in 2009.

Montana Tunnels Gets Final OK

Operators of the Montana Tunnels mine about 25 miles south of Helena have final approval to expand it.

Chavez Eyes Venezuela’s Largest Gold Mine

Venezuela announced plans to take over the nation’s largest gold mine, operated by Canada’s Crystallex International Corp., as President Hugo Chavez gradually brings mining operations under state control.

Chinese Gold Consumption to Grow

When the final numbers are in, China will have consumed a record 350 tons of gold in 2006 amid surging sales of gold bullion, up 17 percent from 2005, the official Xinhua News Agency reported.

Family Sues US Mint for Return of Rare Gold Coins

In a federal lawsuit, a family claims the US Mint illegally seized 10 gold coins that the family had found among a dead relative’s possessions.

High Court Reverses Nevada Mining Decision

The Nevada Supreme Court ruling last April in a Newmont Mining Corp. gold mine case was erased by a high court panel.

Mining Industry Worried about Democrat-Controlled Congress

The new Democrat-controlled Congress will be largely hostile to the US mining industry on everything from taxes to environmental regulation, a top industry lobbyist warned.

Palladium Hitting Jewelry Market

When Frank McAllister talks about palladium, his passion is palpable. So when the Stillwater Mining Co. CEO compares the precious metal to a fairy-tale princess, one can’t help but wait for the explanation.

Demand for Copper Boosts Zambian Mining

Surging global demand for copper has breathed new life into the mining industry in Chingola, a short drive from the Congolese border on top of some of the richest copper deposits in the world.

San Manuel Mine Officially Closes With a Bang

One of the largest underground copper mines in the world officially closed mid-January, as demolition crews blasted its twin smelter stacks.

Internet Posting Fuels Gold Rush in Brazilian Town

It’s a gold rush in the Amazon jungle, driven by the Internet.

North Idaho Mine to Open Again in 2008

The Sunshine Mine in northern Idaho could start running again in 2008.

Working Life of Troy Mine Could Be Extended

An exploration project at the Troy Mine Complex in northwest Montana could extend the projected six or seven year life of the mine by another 5 to 10 years, officials with Revett Minerals say.

Swiss Mining Company Demands Compensation From Bolivia

Glencore International AG demanded compensation from Bolivia’s government for nationalizing a tin smelter owned by the Swiss mining company.

Mining Boom Is Back In Northern Nevada

At the Gold Quarry open-pit mine, a massive electric shovel scoops 40 tons of earth in a single bite and dumps it into a 325,000-pound truck the size of a two-story house.

Lease Issued For Potential Mine Near Mount St. Helens

A hardrock minerals lease and environmental assessment issued recently give Idaho General Mines the right to apply to explore property near 5,400-foot Goat Mountain, north and east of the Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument.

Colorado Court Rules on Cyanide Ban

The Colorado state Court of Appeals ruled that counties have the authority to ban the use of cyanide in gold mining.

More Small-Scale Miners Attracted by Gold Prices

With gold hovering above $650 an ounce, interest in panning and prospecting for the pricey precious metal in northern Idaho’s icy streams and on its rugged mountainsides has enjoyed a mini-boom.

Ready “Ore” Not, Uranium Boom is On Again

Plans for 100 new nuclear power plants around the world have pushed the price of uranium skyward and set off a frenzy of exploration in western Colorado and Utah.

Spanish Police Seize Ship in Treasure Fight

Spanish Civil Guards heightened a battle over a $500 million treasure of gold and silver coins from a shipwreck when they seized a vessel belonging to a Tampa, Florida company.

Gold Mine Proposed in Jefferson County

What could be the first underground gold mine to open in Montana in at least a decade is proposed near the ghost town of Elkhorn in Jefferson County, Montana.

Prison Time Handed Out for Gold and Silver Thefts

The ringleader of former mining workers accused of stealing $1.7 million in gold and silver from Cripple Creek & Victor Gold Mining is headed to prison, prosecutors said.

Northern Dynasty Chooses Partner for Pebble

The Canadian company that owns the Pebble Mine prospect has partnered with Anglo American to develop the Pebble project in Southwest Alaska.

An Answer to Endangered Salmon?

Papa salmon plus mama salmon equals ... baby trout? Japanese researchers put a new spin on surrogate parenting as they engineered one fish species to produce another, in a quest to preserve endangered fish.

The Risks of Mining Overseas

Zimbabwe is the latest country to threaten seizure of foreign-owned mining projects.

Alaska and Nevada Continue to Lead the Pack

Alaska’s mining industry posted a record-breaking year in 2006, largely because of the high prices for zinc and other metals, state officials said.

Landowners See Potential Gold Mine in Uranium Ore

A group of Pittsylvania County landowners sitting on 92 million pounds of uranium ore wants Virginia to end its 25-year ban on uranium mining.

Feds Raid “Liberty Dollar” Headquarters

Federal agents seized two tons of copper coins featuring Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul and 500 pounds of silver during a raid on the headquarters of a group seeking to dissolve the Federal Reserve.

Feds Move Oil Shale to Front Burner

A recent hearing on federal plans to unlock oil shale reserves in the Intermountain West was packed by small-time speculators, some of whom questioned whether today’s technology would let them squeeze oil out of rock profitably.

Trout Thriving In Treated Mine Water

West Virginia University water scientists have found that rainbow trout can survive in previously polluted waters.

Copper Mine Opening in Utah

A second copper mine is opening in Utah with prices for the metal at their highest in a decade.

Future of Mining in Bolivia Uncertain

The miners offer the still-beating hearts of four freshly-sacrificed llamas to a statue of the fiendish god “El Tio,” who they believe affords them protection and good luck.

For a Few Specks of Gold

The gold at the Ruby Hill Mine is microscopic, specks of specks that amount to a few ounces in every 100 tons of rock. It is embedded hundreds of feet beneath the rocky floor of the high desert, tawny and stubbled with sagebrush, toothy ridges dusted with snow.

Miners Rescued After Two Weeks

Two Australian miners who survived for two weeks in a kennel-size cage trapped 3,000 feet underground walked out of the Beaconsfield Gold Mine and punched the air, freed by rescue crews drilling round-the-clock by hand.

Mining Firms Uneasy Over Bolivia

Bolivia’s plan to nationalize its natural gas industry and exert greater state control over all of its natural resources has North American mining companies fretting over their future prospects extracting the nation’s rich resources of gold, silver and tin.

China to Set Up Strategic Reserves

China plans to set up strategic reserves for key minerals such as copper, uranium and aluminum, the government said, acting to ensure supplies amid record high prices due to soaring demand.

Mongolia Tax May Chase Off Investment

The gold and copper deposits at Oyu Tolgoi, or “Turquoise Hill,” are among the largest ever found and could give impoverished Mongolia its biggest boost since it abandoned communism 15 years ago—if the Mongolians can figure out how to profit from it.

Montana Postpones Mining Rule

A proposal to toughen mine regulation in Montana was tabled by a state board while a block away, Governor Brian Schweitzer met with mining executives to get their comments on the rule and hear about the mining industry.

Agnico-Eagle to Open Gold Mine in Finland

Agnico-Eagle Mines will open Europe’s largest gold mine in northern Finland in 2008, the Canadian company and local officials said.

Microbes Play Role in Gold Creation

Researchers in Australia have uncovered evidence that a tiny microbe may have the Midas touch of Greek legend, capable of turning dust to gold.

Elections May Bring Rush to Republic of Congo

Elections in the Republic of Congo may bring a mining boom to a country that has been ravaged by wars and corruption.

Another Uranium Boom in the West

The last US uranium mill ever built, in this parched landscape near Lake Powell, shut down quickly after it started operating as nuclear power fell into disfavor about two decades ago.

Final Buckhorn Mountain Study Released

The Washington Department of Ecology recently issued a revised environmental study of a proposed Okanogan County gold mine. The study is an amendment to one done in 1997 for the proposed Crown Jewel open pit mine on Buckhorn Mountain near Chesaw.

Government Says New Mine Will Benefit Bears

Grizzly bears stand to benefit if a copper and silver mine is developed beneath Montana’s Cabinet Mountains Wilderness, the US Fish and Wildlife Service said in a rewritten opinion.

Trio Accused of Stealing $1.7 Million in Gold

Three former employees of a Colorado gold mine face charges of stealing more than $1.7 million in unprocessed gold, prosecutors said.

Wyoming Expects Profits from Uranium

Growth in worldwide demand for uranium is leading producers back to Wyoming, which leads the nation in uranium production.

Smugglers Causing Problems in South Africa

Rogue miners in South Africa are looting underground mines, sometimes traveling over one-thousand feet down to extract gold, reported Reuters and several other sources.

Market Spotlight: Platinum in Demand

Platinum has run to record highs this year, but it’s not a rush of demand for wedding bands that has boosted prices. It’s diesel.

Mining Companies Use Conservative Valuations

Gold mining companies are being conservative in asset valuations despite recent spikes in gold prices in terms of US dollars, according to a survey by PricewaterhouseCoopers.

Tongass Approves Kensington Mine Plan

Coeur Alaska’s plan to develop the Kensington gold mine and dispose of its tailings in a lake has been approved by the Tongass National Forest.

BC Premier Heralds "Golden Decade" in Forestry and Mining

British Columbia is poised for a “golden decade” in forestry and mining, Premier Gordon Campbell says.

Claim Filings Up in the Northwest

Higher gold prices have led to a doubling of mining claims in the past year in Oregon and Washington.

Canadian Officials Foresee Little Impact From Mine

Canadian regulators said they have found no significant environmental impacts from a proposed British Columbia mine near the Alaska border.

Coeur d'Alene Mines Sees Future in Bolivia

Coeur d’Alene Mines newest silver project has found a home in a historic Bolivian mining district.
The company will build a $135 million open-pit mine at the base of Cerro Rico, the “rich hill” that was the site of a 1545 silver strike.

$100 Million Lost on Faulty ESA Listing

The Preble’s meadow jumping mouse, once seen as a costly impediment to development, is now viewed by the government as a critter that never really existed—and is no longer in need of federal protection under the Endangered Species Act.

Philippines Asks Foreigners to Invest in Mining

Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and other officials urged international businesses to invest in the country’s mining industry after the Supreme Court cleared the way for foreigners to fully control mining operations in the country.

China Ups Investment in Foreign Minerals

Direct investment overseas by Chinese companies rose 27 percent over a year earlier to $3.6 billion in 2004, highlighting the country’s growing economic influence, the government reported.

Government Appeals Miner Injury Case to Supreme Court

The Supreme Court said it will consider whether two miners may sue federal officials for personal injuries following a roof collapse at a copper mine that left them paralyzed.

Diamond Search Underway in Alaska and Minnesota

Two Canadian companies are financing a $1 million drilling operation in the Susitna Valley after a Palmer miner discovered purple and orange garnets in gravel he dredged near Shulin Lake.

Mining Outfits Eye 50-Year Supply of Iron Ore

Two companies are looking to mine the largest known iron ore deposit in the West—a 50-year supply at a rate of 1 million metric tons a year.

Couple Creates Jewelry of the Iron Range

Bryan and Teresa Sandnas’ idea of turning taconite into high-quality jewelry seemed as brilliant as ... well, a lump of iron ore. But what seemed like an implausible plan has turned a crude Iron Range resource into small pieces of beauty.

Companies Scramble to Boost Copper Production

Soaring prices for copper and molybdenum are producing record profits for mining companies and new jobs in some Arizona towns.

Mining Sisters Make History

Judy Etherton wasn’t out to make headlines or break any barriers when she entered the mining industry more than 30 years ago.

New Regulations for Major Precious Metal Dealers

The Bush administration, in its latest effort to nab drug lords and terror financiers, will require major dealers in gold, diamonds and other precious metals and gems to set up comprehensive programs to combat money laundering, announced the Treasury Department.

9th Circuit Court Hears Pilgrim Family Case

An attorney for the Pilgrim family told federal appeals judges that the National Park Service has no right to conduct a formal environmental review or create other roadblocks before granting access to their land within a national park.

National Mining Hall of Fame to Induct Five

Ceremonies  for the induction of five mining industry pioneers into the National Mining Hall of Fame will be held Saturday, September 17, 2005 at the Museum Convention Center in Leadville.

Explosives Camp Lets Students Explore Booming Career Path

Ahhh, summer camp. Lazy days frolicking at the pool. Meeting new friends and swapping stories around the campfire. Slicing steel I-beams and concrete pillars and blowing them apart with C4 high explosives.

The Best Copper Town Anywhere

In the high desert hills more than 60 miles west of Prescott, Bagdad’s residents chat about the Wednesday golf league, the girls softball team and the new cafeteria over at the school.

EPA Offers Liability Protection to Spur Cleanups

Environmental groups that volunteer to help government and businesses clean up waste from mine drainage in the West won’t be held liable if there are future disputes over the pollution, the Environmental Protection Agency said.

Study: West Has Vast Oil Shale Reserves

The United States has an oil reserve at least three times that of Saudi Arabia locked in oil shale deposits beneath federal land in Colorado, Utah and Wyoming, according to a study released August 31.

Mining Companies Competing for Labor

Brian Barclay makes a 275-mile commute across Colorado every week to work near this dusty little town, drawn by a natural gas boom that has added trucks, cranes and hundreds of people to the rocky landscape.

Venezuela’s Chavez Halts Mining Projects

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said his government has decided to review and possibly cancel all mining concessions, and stop issuing new ones to foreign companies.

Montana Lawmakers Want Economic Review of New Mining Rule

A group of lawmakers is asking the state to review the economic effects of a new mining law that one lawmaker contends is nothing more than a thinly veiled effort to end all mining in Montana.

Adding Shine to Your Portfolio

As inflation fears grow, some advisers are steering their clients into precious or industrial metals as a way to add luster to portfolios.

Consider Adding Gold to Your Portfolio

One of the biggest surprises on Wall Street during 2003 was the extraordinary performance of gold-oriented mutual funds—investments that normally fall as the stock market rises.

US Files Charges Against Gold Refiner

Authorities filed criminal charges against one of the largest gold refiners in the United States, accusing the company of participating in an illegal, $4.5 million money-laundering operation involving tainted gold from South America for at least four months.

Fraser Institute Ranks Best Regions for Mining Investment

Attractive geology does not guarantee mining investment if a region’s policies are bad, say mining executives surveyed in the seventh Annual Survey of Mining Companies released by The Fraser Institute.

Gold Mine Plans Upheld in Lawsuit

Officials for the largest gold producing company in the world claimed a significant legal victory over environmentalists who they accused of abusing the appeals process to thwart mining in Nevada.

Higher Copper Price Brings Hope, Jobs

Buoyed by higher copper prices, Chino Mines is reopening its ore concentrator and hiring workers.

Agreement Allows Pogo Mine to Resume Construction

An agreement between developer Teck-Pogo and an environmental group will allow construction work to resume on the Pogo gold mine.

Agency Gives Initial Backing to Kensington Mine

A state funding agency has given the initial OK to financing $20 million in debt to move the Kensington gold project near Juneau toward becoming a working mine.

Brits Thwart Robbery of Gold and Cash

Armed officers arrested seven men near Heathrow Airport after they had overpowered staff at a warehouse holding £80 million ($236 million) in gold and cash and began loading gold into the back of a van.

Map Offers Look at Butte's Mining History

It turns out the old Anaconda Co. really did have 10,000 miles of tunnels beneath this mining city. That’s one of the findings by researchers who have produced a new map that charts the thousands of underground mine shafts here, providing a detailed look at some of Butte’s mining history.

Kerry Proposes Large Fees on Miners

John Kerry’s proposal to increase mineral royalties to raise money for national parks has drawn strong opposition from officials and mining interests in Nevada, which produces 81 percent of the nation’s gold.

Is a Gold Rush Coming to the Iron Range?

Scientists from the state Department of Natural Resources reported that they recently discovered the highest concentrations of gold particles ever found in the state during routine soil sampling near Soudan.

Coeur Alaska Hopes to Begin Work on Gold Mine This Fall

On a recent afternoon, Rick Richins fished a large piece of quartzite ore studded with glittering particles from the floor of a dark, dripping tunnel at the Kensington gold mine.

Company Plans to Develop Cabinet Mountains Mine

A Spokane mining company says it plans to develop a silver and copper mine in the Cabinet Mountains Wilderness Area on the Idaho-Montana border.

First Load of Concentrate Leaves Reopened Ruth Mine

Five years after depressed copper prices forced the Robinson mine to shut down, the first truckload of concentrate pulled out in what its new owner sees as a renewal of the facility and Ely-area residents hope is a rebirth of the region.

Police Extend Detention of Newmont Executives

Five executives from the American mining giant Newmont will continue to be jailed while facing pollution charges in Indonesia, police said, despite test results that show “normal” mercury levels near a former gold mine.

Diamonds in the Rough in Montana

The bright green rocks jutting through the prairie soil were hard to miss, but Tom Charlton still couldn’t believe his eyes. It was kimberlite, the molten rock in which diamonds are found, and preliminary tests had yielded a microscopic diamond.

Michigan House Committee Approves Sulfide Mining Regulations

Michigan would have one of the toughest sets of rules for sulfide mining in the nation under legislation approved by a state House committee.

Surging Gold Prices Add Luster to Nevada's No. 2 Industry

Higher gold prices helped boost Nevada’s mining industry in 2003 despite a decline in production for the third straight year.

Ruby Hill Gold Mine to Reopen in Eureka

Barrick Gold Corp. is moving forward with the reopening of the Ruby Hill gold mine at Eureka, Nevada, and intends to begin work next month on a new power plant in western Nevada.

Newmont Welcomes Release of Executives

Newmont Mining welcomed the release of five executives who were being detained in Indonesia over claims that the company polluted Buyat Bay in central Indonesia.

Impact of Habitat Designations Grossly Underestimated

A UC Berkeley professor says the federal government is using an analysis method that seriously underestimates the economic impact of critical habitat designations for imperiled species.

City Gives Blessing to Pogo Mine

City officials favor construction of the Pogo gold mine near their community, they said at a public comment meeting on the mine conducted by the government agencies responsible for issuing permits for the $250 million project.

Payette Forest Sides With Mining Company

The US Forest Service is siding with a mining company’s bid to reopen roads and drill test holes in the Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness.

Feds Release Opinion on Planned Mine Under Montana Wilderness

A proposed silver and copper mine that would burrow under a wilderness area in northwestern Montana will not affect bull trout, nor will it harm grizzly bears so long as some additional precautions are taken, federal wildlife authorities said.

Montana Candidate Sees Natural Resources as Path to Recovery

The key to returning Montana’s economy to its glory days is to remove the laws that prevent development of the state’s natural resources, says Thomas Keating, the only Republican who has declared himself a candidate for governor.

Maine to Create Mineral Park

The Maine Geological Survey is raising money to acquire a cluster of world-famous mines and create the state’s first public mineral park for rockhounds, science teachers and others with an interest in rocks and minerals.

Brighter Days Ahead Reports Nevada Mining Association

A new report predicts brighter days for mining in Nevada if the price of gold maintains at current levels.

Deadly Storms May Expose Gems in Sri Lanka

Floods and landslides that struck Sri Lanka several months ago, killing 266 people, may bring a windfall for miners. The movement of tons of soil and rock is believed to have unearthed new gems according to local industry workers.

Judge Holds Companies Liable for Some Damage

A federal judge found mining companies liable for at least some of the costs of cleaning up pollution of Idaho’s Silver Valley from a century of mining.

Buckhorn Mountain Project May Be Revived

The long-delayed Buckhorn Mountain gold mine project has been purchased by one of North America’s largest gold producers. Kinross Gold Corp. plans to begin mining there within two years.

USFS Criticized for Renting Chopper in Nevada Dispute

The Forest Service is being criticized for spending $15,000 to rent a helicopter to empty sewage from a remote outhouse in northeast Nevada, work a citizens group had volunteered to do for free by using a closed forest road that the group wants reopened.

New Guinea Denies Existence of Gold Stash

Wild rumors sweeping this near bankrupt Pacific nation of a multibillion dollar stash of World War II gold bullion are wrong, the government said.

Miners Welcome Comments by Alaska Official

The head of Alaska’s Department of Environmental Conservation angered environmentalists by saying more than enough acres are being managed for conservation and land set-asides aren’t necessary for environmental protection.

Mining Deaths Drop to New Low in 2001

Fatal injuries at mines in the United States declined last year to a historic new low, according to preliminary data released January 3, 2002, by the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA).

Fabled 1933 Gold Coin Up For Sale

A 1933 Double Eagle gold coin that never went into circulation—but triggered decades of intrigue—is being sold by the federal government at auction this summer. Experts predict it could sell for millions.

North Korea Seeks Outside Help to Modernize Mining

Eager to earn hard currency, isolated North Korea is trying to modernize its decrepit mining industry with foreign help.

NAS Agrees to Review Superfund Science

The National Academy of Sciences has taken a step toward reviewing a proposed cleanup plan in Idaho.

Tight Budgets Force Forest Service to Cut Back

Seasonal wilderness-area rangers have been among the first to go as Forest Service managers juggle budget demands.

Company Looks at Restarting Sunshine Mine

The lights are on again in the Sunshine silver mine as a New Orleans company investigates whether it is profitable to buy the operation.

Bill Could Create New Silver Market

Legislation before Congress would enable the federal government to become a net silver buyer for the first time in four decades.

Mystery of Olmec Jade Solved

Since the 18th century, collectors, geologists and archaeologists have sought the answer to a frustrating mystery: The ancient Olmecs fashioned statues out of striking blue-green jade, but the stone itself was nowhere to be found in the Americas.

BLM Land Swap Deal Raises Eyebrows

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in Washington D.C. is reviewing a land swap with a private company because the bureau allowed an employee of the company to arrange the deal.

Sunshine Mine Video Brings Back Painful Memories

When a federal employee decided to make a safety video for miners, she didn’t expect to reopen 30-year-old wounds from one of the nation’s worst mining disasters. But a roomful of tough men had watery eyes as they watched the film “You Are My Sunshine,” which recounted the Sunshine Mine disaster of 1972 that claimed 91 lives.

Explorers to Salvage Gold-Laden Ship

A salvage company struck a 20-year deal with Britain to search for riches in the sunken warship HMS Sussex, which went down in 1694, laden with gold and silver.

Columbians Continue Search for Emeralds

Despite a drop in emerald production in Colombia, “green fever” still burns among miners who yearn to find a stone big or pure enough to answer all their worldy needs.

Alaska Miners to Sue Department of Interior

The Alaska Miners Association announced that it will sue the Department of Interior to set aside Solicitor John Leshy’s “midnight” regulations designed to drive the mining industry out of business in Alaska.

Oregon's Measure 7 May Provide Compensation for Land-Use Restrictions

Opponents of Measure 7 warn that it will grow into a monster.

Gem Discoveries Sought in North Carolina Field

The gem miner who uncovered North America’s largest emerald thinks he’s found a mother-lode of emerald-rich rock in Alexander County.

Gem Theft in Tucson

Police are investigating the theft of five stones, valued by their owner at $128,000, from an exhibit at a Tucson gem show.The largest of the stones taken from the show was a 7-inch-tall pink tourmaline worth $85,000.

Mine Forced to Pay for Grizzly Habitat and More

The Rock Creek Mine, a silver and copper mine proposed for the southern Cabinets near Noxon, Mont., will mean more human-bear confrontations and a shrinking bear habitat, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service says.

Court Hears Arguments Over Rights to Shipwreck

Nearly a century after the luxury liner RMS Republic sank off Nantucket, treasure hunters are still battling over the ship’s cargo, which some believe includes gold coins now worth more than $1 billion.

Nevada Gold Production Up Despite Lower Prices

Despite lower prices, Nevada gold production increased slightly last year and the state continues to produce about three-fourths of the nation’s gold.

Bush Taps Utah Resident for Labor Post

President Bush has said he will nominate a Utah mining consultant to become Assistant Secretary of Labor for Mine Safety and Health (MSHA).

Honda Pares Down Use of Precious Metals in Autos

Honda Motor Co. said it will begin using new catalytic converter technology it believes will slash use of  pricey precious metals in auto emission-control systems by 50 to 70 percent.

Nebraska Couple Finds Big Nugget in Arizona

Friends of Don and Marlene Doran often tease them about their hobby of searching for unique rocks. Now they are the ones laughing.

Investors Hope to Revive Idaho Gold Mine

A small group of investors led by retired businessman Ray Bohn is trying to revive a remote Idaho gold mine shut down since 1942.

Former Sunshine Miners Find Work in Montana

Like almost 200 other Silver Valley miners, Butch Dempsey used to work at the Sunshine Mine in Kellogg. But, along with dozens of the others, he now works for the Columbus, Montana-based Stillwater Mining Co., about 400 miles to the east...

Diamond Dealer Prevails in Congo

The one he’s rolling around in his fingers is nice—5.23 carats, nearly the size of a marble, pure and white. But the diamond that Alphonse Ngoyi Kasanji is talking about is the big one—the one that got taken away.

Proposal Submitted for Lab at Homestake

Rapid City, S.D. (AP)—Scientists and a team of South Dakotans have submitted a $281 million, five-year plan to turn Homestake Mine in Lead into the world’s largest underground laboratory.

De Beers Undergoes Overhaul

Behind every diamond engagement ring, every diamond earring, every glittering, multicarat expression of true love once loomed the shadow of De Beers, the cartel that controlled—and, some argue, created—the international diamond industry.

New Arsenic Study Supports Tougher Standards

A National Academy of Sciences report shows that the Environmental Protection Agency greatly underestimated the cancer risks of arsenic in drinking water, according to EPA officials and other environmental experts familiar with the report.

Miners Resume Search for Platinum Near Platinum

Goodnews Bay Platinum Mine, owned by Hanson Industries in Spokane, Washington, has resurrected a 60-year-old bucketline dredge to claw the steel-gray metal from the river drainages around Red Mountain on Cape Nushagak.

Tons of Gold Buried Under World Trade Center

Some 11.8 metric tons of gold worth an estimated $110 million, and 30.2 million ounces of silver valued at $121 million, are buried in the rubble below one of the collapsed buildings in the World Trade Center, The New York Times report

Gold Rush Ship Uncovered in San Francisco

Workers at a hotel construction site uncovered a Gold Rush-era ship that had been buried for decades under the streets of the city’s Financial District.

Permit Appears Likely for Rock Creek Mine

The final environmental review for a proposed mine beneath the Cabinet Mountains Wilderness appears, after 14 years, to favor allowing the hotly disputed mine to proceed.

President Bush: Put ANWR Drilling in Energy Bill

President Bush has urged Congress to adopt comprehensive energy legislation, which includes drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR).

V.P. Contender Addresses Mining Show

Republican vice presidential contender Dick Cheney, continuing a campaign swing through the West, said the Clinton administration has failed to step up and toe the mark for the mining and energy industry.

World Gold Council Launches $3 Million Ad Campaign

The World Gold Council has launched a major Fall advertising campaign designed to capture the attention of American fashion and jewelry conscious women.

A Changing Diamond Industry Looks to Canada for Growth

Robert Gannicott speaks in almost spiritual tones about the position his small Canadian diamond company holds and the forces—both natural and economic—that put it there.