Gold has big year in 2020 and outlook for this year robust. Learn about monetary expansion and gold future prices.Read More

The gold futures price reached US$1,767/ounce this week before retreating, which was the second time it has surpassed US$1,760 in the past two months, marking some of gold's highest levels in several years.Read More

"Central banks are so confident that gold prices will continue rising that they are..."Central banks have been scooping up gold with a vengeance.Here's a Jan. 31 Financial Times headline:'Colossal' central bank buying drives gold demand to decade highInterestingly, just a few days later on Feb. 3, the precious metal dropped by more than 2%. But setting aside near-term price moves in gold, what yo...Read More

The news is full of articles now discussing how food (Staples) producer prices are going to continue rising, how warehouse and distribution channels are pushing “inflation” higher, how charges to use cargo containers and transportation are all pushing “inflation” higher.The inflationary acts were committed in 2020 and 2021. The inflation was inflicted then and is now histor...Read More

(IDEX Online) - The pearl necklace worn by Audrey Hepburn in the 1953 movie Roman Holiday has been pulled from auction, without explanation, by Christie's Geneva.It follows another unexplained withdrawal, that of the Blue Lagoon tourmaline (estimate $1.44m to $2.44m) from a Sotheby's Geneva auction earlier this month.The Hepburn choker-style pearl necklace, set with cabochon sapphires, w...Read More

(IDEX Online) - Debswana, the joint venture between De Beers and the Botswana government, has started using solar power at its diamond mines as part of a pledge to achieve carbon neutrality by 2030.President Mokgweetsi Masisi said solar energy and biodiesel were now being used at the Jwaneng, Orapa, Letlhakane and Damtshaa mines.A grid-tied solar photovoltaic (PV) plant has already been providing...Read More

(IDEX Online) - Lucapa today (20 November) said it was pausing plans to revive the Merlin mine in Australia, amid the ongoing decline in diamond prices.The Perth-based miner bought the mothballed deposit (pictured), in a remote part of Northern Territory, Australia, for $6m in December 2021.At the time it estimated annual production at 153,000 carats, generating a total projected revenue of $1.14b...Read More

(IDEX Online) - Sanctions on Russian diamonds will lead to a supply shortage, and a price collapse, according to the country's deputy finance minister Alexei Moiseev.That in turn will accelerate the rise of lab growns, he said.The G7 nations, representing 70 per cent of world diamond sales, are poised to implement a boycott on Russian diamonds, which still account for around $4bn of rough sal...Read More

(IDEX Online) - De Beers and the Botswana government will work together to find more diamond deposits, after both sides agreed a 10-year deal in June."Most of our mines are ageing, and therefore, we need to look beyond Botswana if we want to continue generating wealth for this country," said Lefoko Maxwell Moagi, Botswana's minister of minerals and energy.He was speaking at the annual Natural...Read More

(New throughout, adds further details from union leader) By Marco Aquino LIMA, Nov 20 (Reuters) - Workers at the Chinese-ownedLas Bambas copper mine in Peru will kick off an "indefinite"strike beginning next week after the miner failed to deliverinformation on profit-sharing protocols, the union's leader saidon Monday. Erick Ramos, general secretary of the Las Bambas workersunion, told...Read More

U.S. equity index futures were lower this morning. S&P 500 futures were down 3 points at 8:30 AM EST.Microsoft added $6.25 to $376.10 after hiring Sam Altman, former OpenAI chief executive officer. Boeing advanced $2.79 to $210.80 after Deutsche Bank upgraded the stock from Hold to Buy and raised its target price from $204 to $270.Franco-Nevada (FNV.TO Cdn$165.16) is expected to open lower aft...Read More

Make Argentina Great Again MAGA!Political outsider Javier Milei won Argentina's presidential election last night, in a development that's shocked the world.Though his policy prescriptions are different than Trump's in many respects, Milei is basically the Argentinian version of Donald Trump because of his anti-establishment, "drain the swamp" rhetoric.You can liken Milei's election to Trump's 20...Read More

A nation can only take so much corruption, crime and unreality."We're an empire now, and when we act, we create our own reality," said Karl Rove, veteran blobster and adviser to George W. Bush, when he uttered those fateful words. Even political junkies forget the rest of what he said:And while you're studying that reality judiciously, as you will we'll act again, creating other new realities,...Read More

Breaking News This morning, Western Exploration Inc. shared a promising update on its drilling at its Gravel Creek property. Read on to see these results and what the company has planned for the new year.This morning, Western Exploration Inc. (WEX:TSX.V;WEXPF:OTC) announced updated drill results at its Gravel Creek property in Nevada, U.S.Western Exploration is a gold exploration and production...Read More

This gold junior, which just went public, is starting its first drilling campaign at its flagship project in Mexico. A nearby project might give a clue on what to expect.Centenario Gold Corp. (CTG:TSX.V), which just went public at the beginning of the month, announced it is starting its first drilling campaign at its Eden project near Cosala, Mexico.The company plans to drill 1,500 meters over 10...Read More

Silver X Mining Corp. releases operational results from the third quarter. One analyst said the numbers bode "well for future performance."Silver X Mining Corp. (AGX:TSX.V) announced it has successfully processed 230,444 ounces of silver equivalent (Ag Eq) in 45 days after resuming mining operations at its Nueva Recuperada project in Central Peru.The company has released operational results from t...Read More

Metals Market Service - CopperThis session will provide you with an understanding of the key deliverables of Wood Mackenzie's Metals Market Service - Copper, how to access and use them to get information and analysis of global copper market, looking at the supply, demand and price.Register nowPlease click on the relevant link below to register for the session of your interest.Thursday, 30 November...Read More

(IDEX Online) - The global market for lab grown diamonds will almost double in the coming decade, according to new research published today (21 November), as they incorporated into a range of products beyond traditional jewelry.Sales of $10.8bn in 2022 will increase to $20.6bn by 2032, driven by increasing disposable income and women's changing lifestyles, says Indian market research company...Read More

(IDEX Online) - Vladimir Putin's press secretary yesterday (20 November) warned that EU sanctions on Russian diamonds would have a "boomerang effect".He insisted countries that boycotted Russian gems would suffer more than Russia itself. Dmitry Peskov (pictured) told reporters: "As a rule, it turns out that a boomerang effect is partially triggered: the interests of the Europeans themsel...Read More

(IDEX Online) - Lightbox, the De Beers lab grown company, has signed exclusive supply deals with two jewelry brands.It is collaborating with US-based Roseate, which specializes in South Seas and Tahitian pearls, and Hong Kong-based The Future Rocks, a "future-forward" brand that explores the use of new materials."Roseate and The Future Rocks are incredible creative and commercial partners who offe...Read More

U.S. equity index futures were lower this morning. S&P 500 futures were down 5 points at 8:35 AM EST.The Canadian Dollar was unchanged at US72.95 cents following release of Canada's October Consumer Price Index at 8:30 AM EST. Consensus was an increase of 0.1%. Actual was an increase of 0.1%. On a year-over year basis October CPI consensus was an increase 3.1% versus a gain of 3.8% in July. Ac...Read More

Almost 10 years ago, I sat in a secure conference room at the Pentagon and explained to a group of U.S. national security officials from the military, CIA, Treasury and other agencies that the overuse of the U.S. dollar in financial warfare would eventually drive countries away from using dollars in international transactions for fear that they could become the next target of U.S. displeasure.I sa...Read More