Crossland Uranium Mine's Charley Creek Project A Potential Early Rare Earth Producer

Figure taken from Crossland website showing drill
sites in Charley Creek with a high potential TREO

NORTHERN TERRITORY, AUSTRALIA (STEEL GURU) -- Crossland Uranium Mines recently completed heavy mineral concentrate pilot test work at its Charley Creek Project in Northern Territory and the results obtained reinforce Crossland's ability to turn the project into an early low cost and long term producer of valuable rare earth oxides.  The results of the study also confirm that the Crossland can successfully concentrate the xenotime and monazite rare earth bearing minerals at Charley Creek using low cost technology commonly used in the mineral sand industry.  Crossland also identified simple flowsheet improvements to improve Total Rare Earth Oxide (TREO) recoveries during the next phase of test work. Source: Crossland Uranium Mines' Testwork Shows Charley Creek Could Be Early Rare Earths Producer (Reliability: High) 

Comment:  According to Steel Guru, potential buyers have already approached Crossland for output from Charley Creek, and Crossland plans to further develop xenotime and monazite concentration production.  Since the mineralization is found in alluvial deposits (free digging) Crossland can conduct mining operations at a low cost.   

Price of Gold Soars as Investors Seek Safe Haven

People are investing more in gold because of the increased price.

AUSTRALIA (ABC NEWS) -   For most of this year, the price of gold has been around it's all time high of USD 1700 an ounce and is predicted to rise to USD 2000 in 2013.  Sources claim economic problems in the United States and Europe are causing the increase in the price of gold.  Gold is becoming a safe investment against market volatility due to the economic stimulus measures by the U.S. and Europe according to financial advisor Jordan Eliseo.  Analysts are predicting mergers and take-over bids to increase because gold miners are undervalued compared to the price of gold.  Countries are also starting to stockpile gold in order to build up their reserve currency during the tough economic times.  China in particular is a government that is known to stockpile bulk commodities and industrial related metals.  Analysts suggest this is the time to start investing in gold.       Source:  Price of Gold Soars as Investors Seek Safe Haven (Reliability: High)

Comments:  Before gold, iron ore was in the focus of Western Australia's mines.  Due to the economic times, more and more people are beginning to invest in gold instead. 

Northern Minerals finds Highest Grade Heavy Rare Earth (HRE) Intersection to Date

Locations and % TREO of drill sites at Brown's Range

Northern Minerals (Western Australia) - In an attempt to address the increasing global demand for HRE minerals, Australian mining company Northern Minerals is exploring new deposits in the north-eastern section of Western Australia. Their most recent diamond drilling cores, at the Brown's Range show the highest grade HRE to date, at 4.15% Total Rare Earth Oxide (TREO) containing high levels of yttrium and one instance at 9.58% TREO.  These most recent prospect drillings are an extension of a 2011 program by Northern Mineral to target high margin mineralization at Brown's Range. Northern Mineral owns all of the rights to this range, and is conducting an analysis of 22 drilled core samples to gather data for a Joint Ore Reserves Committee (JORC) resource report.
Source: http://www.northernminerals.com.au/new/index.php?option=com_edocman&task=document.download&id=359&Itemid=135
(Reliability: Medium)

Comment: If China continues to restrict its export of Rare Earths, Australia could quickly move in to fill the demand for critical minerals. Companies like Northern Mineral are positioning themselves to take advantage of this gap.

Mt. Todd Estimated Measured & Indicated Gold Resources Increases

Diagram of Mt. Todd ore body by Vista Gold Corp.

DENVER, CO (Equities.com) - Vista Gold Corp. updated its mineral resource estimate at Mt. Todd in Northern Territory, Australia to include 18 drill holes at approximately 13,036 total meters. The Batman deposit is now estimated to contain 7.01 million ounces of gold in the Measured and Indicated categories, a 17 percent increase over 2011 estimates, and 2.09 million ounces in the Inferred category, a 37 percent increase over previous estimates. With on-going drilling, the company expects to announce further updates in early 2013. Frederick H. Earnest, President and CEO of Vista, stated that "the results of our past and ongoing drilling programs combined with technical evaluations currently in progress support my belief that Mt. Todd is becoming a world-class gold project in one of the world's most favorable mining jurisdictions." Source: Vista Gold Corp. Grows Mt. Todd Estimated Measured & Indicated Gold Resources to over 7 Million Ounces (Reliability: High)

Comment: Vista acquired the Mt. Todd property in February 2006 for approximately US$2 million. With gold holdings in Mexico, Indonesia, Australia and the United States, Denver, Colorado-based Vista Gold Corp. is a mid-tier player in the gold market. While production of gold increases, demand has been leveling off, especially in the jewelry sector, because of high prices. Decreasing demand will likely eventually drive the price down making the investment in mining less attractive.