A group of influential Alaskans has formed a nonprofit group to counter what they called misinformation being disseminated in television and newspaper advertisements by groups opposing Pebble, a possible mine on the Alaska Peninsula southwest of Anchorage.

The move is sure to ramp up the public relations war between those opposing and those supporting the mine.
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Tiomin Resources Inc. (”Tiomin” or the “Company”) (TSX: TIO) announces that it has entered into a letter of intent with ATW Venture Corp. (”ATW”) providing for the grant to ATW of an option (the “Kenya Option”) to acquire up to a 50% interest in Tiomin’s Kenyan mineral sands projects (the “Kenya Projects”), including the Kwale project, for US$35 million. In addition, ATW has an option (the “Tanzania Option”) to acquire a 50% interest in Tiomin’s Tanzanian exploration projects for US$3 million.
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Miranda Gold Corp. (”Miranda”) (TSX VENTURE: MAD)(OTCBB: MRDDF)(FWB: MRG)(BERLIN: MRG) has received phase one drilling results on the Coal Canyon project in Eureka County, Nevada. Miranda’s joint venture partner, Golden Aria Corporation (”Golden Aria”), completed a two-hole drill program totaling 2,020 ft (615.8m). The holes, MCC-1 and MCC-2, were designed to test resistivity and self-potential anomalies at the intersections of altered fault zones, in favorable lower plate carbonate rocks. The holes intersected six, 30 ft (9.1m) to 200 ft (61m)-thick zones of moderately decalcified, and variably silicified/clay altered silty limestone. Neither of the holes intersected significantly anomalous gold mineralization. Read more » »

Patch International Inc. said that it has commenced drilling on its recently acquired Dover Oil Sands Project and the Firebag Oil Sands Project near Ft. McMurray in northeast Alberta.

Drilling contractor rig Tempco # 1 started January 21, 2006 on the first of a minimum 28 earning wells. Weather has been cooperative allowing pre-construction of leases well in advance of the drilling rig. In anticipation of progressing the project areas beyond the minimum 28 wells, Patch has pre-selected, licensed and surveyed an additional 22 sites affording flexibility to modify the drill order “on the fly.” Should new potential pools be discovered during the course of drilling, Patch can modify the drilling program to obtain more well contact within areas of thicker oil sands. Patch is currently negotiating to bring a second rig into the drill to accelerate this year’s drilling program. Read more » »

First Narrows Resources Corp. (TSX-V: UNO) (PINKSHEETS: FNRWF) (”First Narrows” or “the Company”) is pleased to announce that it has resumed drilling on the Chester Copper-Polymetallic Feeder Deposit for the purpose of completing a NI 43-101 qualifying mineral resource estimate.

The focus of this phase of the program is to continue the delineation of the higher grade copper-polymetallic mineralization of the feeder deposit by extending the drilling to the north, as well as up dip to the east, and down dip to the west. A further +100 diamond drill holes will be required to develop the initial NI 43-101 Inferred and Indicated mineral resource estimation of the eastern, near surface, portion of the deposit. Read more » »

Expensive rig rates and low natural gas prices are seen prompting oil and gas producer Tullow Oil (TWL.LN) to delay planned drilling in two of its key U.K. offshore fields, which will ultimately force production to drop in 2007.

Tullow’s Chief Financial Officer Tom Hickey told Dow Jones Newswires Friday that Tullow intends to reduce its drilling program in the Schooner and Ketch fields, explaining that it’s “not a case of canceling activity but deferring it.”
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The Chinese embassy in Pakistan has barred its country’s services companies from oil and gas exploration and production work in Balochistan for security reasons. This can adversely hit Pakistan’s efforts to restart drilling activities in the province.

Chinese embassy’s advisory put Pakistan Petroleum Limited (PPL) into limbo as after M/s Great Wall Drilling Company (GWDC) denial it’s not finding any service company for securing rig to drill its Tangna Pusht 1 well in Balochistan.
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FORT WORTH For the first time in the City of Fort Worth, owners of a shopping center plan to drill for natural gas in the business parking lot.

The drilling will take place in the parking lot of La Gran Plaza, in front of the theatre. The location is roughly 350-feet from I-35 South at the Seminary exit.

Mall officials say they hope the well will bring in $10 million and they, “need the money”.

In return for city tax breaks, mall owners promised to make the once nearly abandoned mall a showplace, catering to Hispanic shoppers. La Gran Plaza now has a 75-percent occupancy rate.

Contractors are working to upgrade the mall exterior and architects are completing plans for a Mexican rodeo arena.

“Instead of having that investment in five years we are going to be able to bring that money earlier,” said Jose Arellano, La Gran Plaza marketing director.

During the drilling period there will be a 3-story high tower on the property, with bright lights, and making lots of noise.

Workers at a radio station across the street from the mall are concerned. “Hopefully we won’t have any accidents, “ says area worker, Tony Adriann. “If we have any accidents, ya know, it’s gonna be kind of dangerous for us.”

City development director Bob Riley believes the asphalt parking lot will contain any possible hazardous spills. “I think from an accident standpoint (the site) has easy access, whereas if you were out in the field somewhere (that would not be the case.) Everybody knows where it’s at.“

It will take two million gallons of water to get the gas out of a well. There’s no word on how the drilling company deals will deal with that.

© MMVII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.

CABINET has approved proposals for the appointment of a consultant to help identify the precise boundaries of the Cockpit Country.

This followed discussions Monday on a report from a Cabinet sub-committee on government’s minerals policy in the protected area, which has been at the centre of a controversy, since last year, over the granting of licences for bauxite prospecting there.
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He said the permit was approved on October 16 last year.

On Thursday, Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Angelo Reyes said Anglo American was one of five large firms joining the rush to dig up the country’s unexplored mineral wealth.

Reyes identified the four others as BHP Billiton Ltd./Plc. , Xstrata Plc. , Canada’s Chemical Vapour Metal Refining Inc. (CVMR) and Phelps Dodge Corp. .
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