Today in Metal Markets - Vanadium Cooling Off

The hub bub in the mining world this morning has been the surging price of palladium, it is almost equivalent to the price of gold. Palladium surges to record highs as the Chinese auto industry is expected to buoy global demand amid tight supplies consumed in ICE vehicle pollution-control catalytic converters. 

Goodbye Tahoe (TSX: THO)! Hello Pan American Silver (TSX: PAAS)!

The big news today in the mining sector is another mega merger (mega for the silver sector) but in the silver sector. Pan American Silver is taking over the troubled Tahoe Resources and in particular its sweet sweet high grade Escobal Silver mine in Guatemala.

Video: Jurisdictional Competence is Critical In a Post-Conflict Colombia, Tim Coughlin and Royal Roads Minerals (TSX-V: RYR)

Mineral exploration companies are often the first ones into countries that have not received investment due to jurisdictional instability.  It is our premise at NewsMiner that mineral exploration can be a leading economic indicator of economic progress and development for countries in dire need of investment and thus significant returns for investors. We look for companies on the bleeding edge of early signs of investment attractiveness. 

However, this is risky time and companies need to demonstrate awareness of their surroundings and an understanding of the political as well as the geological setting.   One company that stands out is a South American mineral exploration company called Royal Roads Minerals (TSX-V: RYR).