Taseko Mines Limited (Toronto:TKO.TO - News)(AMEX:TGB - News) (”Taseko” or the “Company”) is pleased to announce that it has finalized negotiations for the purchase of the key mining and milling equipment required for the Phase III expansion at its 100% owned Gibraltar copper-molybdenum mine.

The Company has entered into binding agreements to purchase two Bucyrus 495 mining shovels, a Bucyrus 49R production drill, four 240 ton Terex haulage trucks and a 28-foot semi autogeneous grinding (”SAG”) mill, which is of sufficient size to process an additional 30,000 tons of Gibraltar ore per day. Read more…

Abacus Mining & Exploration Corp. (”Abacus” or “the Company”) (CDNX:AME.V - News) is pleased to announce it has retained the services of AMEC Americas Limited (”AMEC”) to build an updated mineral resource model and carry out the needed engineering work to advance the Afton - Ajax Project located near Kamloops, B.C., through a Preliminary Economic Assessment. Since Andrew Pooler was appointed Chief Operating Officer, the Company has focused on accelerating the project towards development and AMEC has an excellent track record of working with these types of projects around the world. Mr. Scott Ansell, Project Manager with AMEC, has organized a team of highly experienced engineers and geologists to work on the project including Dr. Harry Parker RG, Ch P.Geo., who will be conducting the peer review on the mineral resource model. Read more…

ALEXIS MINERALS CORPORATION (Toronto:AMC.TO - News) is pleased to confirm that exploration drilling is continuing in Val d’Or, Quebec. One hole on the Deep West Target is approaching 1460 metres, on a proposed 1800 metre hole. The hole is in the immediate footwall to an area of alteration and stringer mineralization identified in four previously completed holes drilled from the Louvicourt Mine. The Deep West Target is a Volcanogenic Massive Sulphide (VMS) target approximately 1,500 metres west of the past-producing Louvicourt Mine (see Press Release: June 10th, 2008). Drilling to test the near surface extension of the Wolverine zone has recently been completed and logging is advancing. Assays will be reported when available. Read more…

Midland Exploration Inc. (”Midland”) (CDNX:MD.V - News) in partnership with Breakwater Resources Ltd. is pleased to announce the commencement of its first diamond drilling program on the Weedon Project. This wholly-owned Midland project is located about 120 kilometres south of Quebec City.

Several new VTEM targets identified

The drilling program by Midland will include five holes totalling 1,200 metres of drilling. The main purpose is to test new electromagnetic targets defined in the fall of 2007, during a helicopter-borne VTEM survey. Read more…

Geovic Mining Corp. (”Geovic” or “The Company”) (Toronto:GMC.TO - News), on behalf of its 60%-owned subsidiary Geovic Cameroon PLC (GeoCam), is pleased to announce the progress of its drilling program at the Mada cobalt-nickel-manganese property in Cameroon, Africa. Mada is a northern, adjoining extension of the Nkamouna deposit, with very similar geologic properties and mineral grades. The purpose of drilling out Mada is to determine if it contains additional high-grade reserves for utilization at the planned Nkamouna processing plant (to optimize cash flow in the early years of production), as well as provide additional reserves to significantly increase production if supported by market conditions. Read more…

Animas Resources (TSX VENTURE:ANI - News) is pleased to report that drilling has begun in the Santa Teresa mining district at and around the Company’s past producing Santa Gertrudis and Amelia gold projects.

20-F Prepared for filing

Animas Resources and its consultants have finished preparing a form 20-F which will be filed shortly with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (”SEC”). The form 20F is a registration statement that will allow the Company to communicate directly with potential investors in the USA. Read more…

Selkirk Metals Corp. (”Selkirk” or the “Company”) (TSX VENTURE:SLK - News) is pleased to announce that the Ruddock Creek Zinc-Lead Deposit will be explored for the first time in history by underground diamond drilling and bulk sampling. The Ruddock Creek Property is accessible year round by the completion of an all season main haul road, has an established 40-man camp facility including mine dry, shops and offices. The project is located 100 km north-northwest of Revelstoke in the Kamloops and Revelstoke Mining Divisions, British Columbia. Read more…

Farmers in Argentina said new government caps on grain-export taxes don’t go far enough, threatening to prolong a two-month conflict that has disrupted trade and led to food shortages in Buenos Aires.

The government reduced the top end of the variable tax rate on soybeans, wheat, corn and sunflower seeds, leaving the levy unchanged at the prices farmers currently receive for their crops. Cabinet Chief Alberto Fernandez, in announcing the changes yesterday, said he hoped the reductions would end the dispute. Read more…