Its 2004 - a brand new year!!! And our industry is on a roll!!!!
(A message from our Chairman - Andy Robertson)

For the mining industry, 2004 has come in with strength and enthusiasm. With the gold price at 15-year highs and metal prices well above the low prices that have prevailed for several years, mining companies are again profitable and providing excellent investment returns. We are benefiting from the return of both individual and institutional investors providing funds for exploration and resource development. Shelved projects are being revived and advanced and the geologists and drills are again searching and probing for mineral wealth. For those serving the mining industry there is again a demand for their services.    Continued below...

Subscriptions

News Plus and Careers Only

We have altered our subscription packages slightly and added options that we feel may best suit our clients' needs. Last month we introduced the new "Careers Only" subscription that is proving very popular because it is ideal for those individuals with a sole focus on job searching without the need for full access to other parts of the site. Click here to subscribe today!

We have also introduced a "News Plus" subscription. It provides access to News, Investment, Companies/Properties search, Events, and Equipment. It is very competitively priced at US$10.00 per month. Click here to subscribe today!

If you currently have an InfoMine subscription and would like to change to the "Careers Only" or "News Plus" level, please use this link.

Careers

Averaging 55 jobs a day!!!

With the upswing in metal prices and the resulting stimulation of the mining industry - we are seeing a substantial increase in the numbers of available positions to be filled. These positions are both within mining companies and in companies who supply products and services to the mining industry. However, after the long dry season that mining has had, many potential employees have left the industry, and we are beginning to see a shortage in qualified staff. If you are an advertiser in the Careers section of InfoMine, we want to work with you to help fill those available positions.

InfoMine Welcomes our Newest Clients!

Northstar Frontier Services, LLC

Aurora Telenet (Canada) Inc.

Bingham Canyon (Kennecott Utah)

Orica Canada Inc.

Turner Dickinson & Partners

Independent Project Analysis, Inc.

J.S. Redpath Limited

High River Gold Mines Ltd.

Editorials of the Month

Hands off Russian Gold

Gold Plunges on Ailing Euro

Taxation spat causes rift in Mining Council

New Year, same old argument

Kori Kollo brings in 150,000oz gold in 2003

Spanish Content

Editoriales en español para Latinoamérica en InfoMine

InfoMine, tiene el agrado de invitarle a visitar y utilizar en forma diaria su nueva sección de noticias relativas a la Industria Minera en Latinoamérica. A través de importantes alianzas y convenios de cooperación, InfoMine provee a sus usuarios información de las empresas mineras, proyectos, mercado y en general, toda la actualidad que sucede en idioma español.

A objeto de brindar el mejor servicio a sus usuarios, InfoMine en idioma español se abastecerá de información exclusiva proveniente de los más importantes servicios informativos mineros, asegurando la entrega de noticias en forma oportuna a través de los medios chilenos BNAmericas, AreaMinera e Ingeniero Andino de Editec y Panorama Minero de Argentina.

Con la incorporación de esta nueva sección que comienzó su servicio el primero de enero del 2004, InfoMine se consolida como el principal portal de servicios en Internet para la Minería a nivel mundial, ofreciendo servicios para sus clientes que deseen conocer los principales sucesos de la minería en Latinoamérica.

Por más información de los servicios en español que ofrece InfoMine, contáctese con Marcela Díaz o vía telefónica a: 1 604 683-2037

Professional Development

New CIM Course on Economic Evaluation and Optimization

The new CIM course on Economic Evaluation and Optimization by Lawrence Devon Smith (EduMine's 50th online course!) is designed for an audience of mining professionals and managers who require a practical understanding of economic evaluation and financial optimization methods and their application to mineral projects.

The discounted cash flow (DCF) method is the method of choice for economic evaluations of mineral projects from pre-feasibility study stage to operating mine. This course examines the requirements, practice, and application of DCF methodology, as well as insights into the potential pitfalls to be found in such evaluations.

University of British Columbia - Mining Certificate Program for 2004

The UBC Mining Certificate Program is supported by collaboration between the departments of Continuing Studies and Mining Engineering at the University of British Columbia, the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum, and EduMine. The program is based on unique courses designed to meet the lifelong learning needs of the mining community. Each course integrates an online remote learning component with an intensive two-or-three day on-campus classroom component.

Focus on Geotechnical

Here's a sample of the information on "Geotechnical" available on InfoMine. This is just an example of how our search provides excellent and pertinent results for any topic you wish to explore. Why not try your own favorite topic now?

InfoMine Statistics

Did you know that on a daily basis - including Saturdays and Sundays approximately 60,000 pages are viewed on the Infomine site?

News Digests

Added Value for InfoMine's News and Investor audience!

InfoMine is pleased to announce that the Gold and Diamond Digests and access to all of our on-line news and investment services will now be available at a new category of subscriber level - namely the News Plus subscriber level.

Now, Digest readers will be able to access all hypertext links presented in the publications, including related news stories and editorial material, for only USD10.00 a month. Standard subscribers, as well as higher subscription levels will also benefit from being able to subscribe to the Gold and Diamond Digests for no additional cost. Digest are not available to Careers Only and EduMine subscribers.

This amounts to a 65% reduction in price for our current Digest readers that have purchased independent Digest subscriptions to both the Gold and Diamond Digests, as well as a Standard subscription to InfoMine.

In addition, complete access to detailed mining company and mineral property searches; events and new and used mining equipment listings will also be available to News Plus subscribers.

All trial subscriptions to the Gold and Diamond Digest will be terminated at the end of January. For our trial Digest readers, to continue to receive your Digests, please subscribe now at the News Plus subscription level or above.

We are excited to be able to offer a more streamlined approach to receiving and using our news and investment services and look forward to serving you better. For enquiries, please email me directly to Chris Thompson.

A message from our Chairman - Andy Robertson
...continued from above

The 22 years that have passed since the 1982 crash in commodity values and depression of mining activities has seen a technological revolution with advances in IT that have made mining personnel much more efficient and productive. This combined with the rapid trend to a much smaller number of much larger mines, world wide, has resulted in a sharp decline in the number of mining staff needed to produce the world demand for metals. During this period there has been an excess of well-educated and trained mining professionals competing for the remaining mining jobs. During this period mining became perceived as risky and environmentally destructive industry with low investment returns and uncertain career prospects at remote job sites. There was little glamour to attract new recruits to the industry and we have seen a decimation of both new students and educational institutions of the mining industry.

Today we are running out of the experienced 'gray beards' as they retire and there are simply not enough trained or experienced individuals in the 'follow-on' generation of mining professionals. A personnel shortage is upon us and while we may strive to again increase the recruitment and training of new professionals, it will be at least a decade or more before our actions will make a material difference to the professional resource pool.

To meet this staffing challenge, the industry and those who serve it will have to rely increasingly on IT to maximize the efficiency of the human resources that are available. To meet the dual demands of personnel development and optimization of production efficiency of existing personnel is the objective and mission of InfoMine. Initiatives that have been taken by InfoMine to achieve this mission includes:

The creation of EduMine - the provider of mining industry on-line professional development courses allowing the maximum convenience and flexibility of training of mining professionals at their place of work, or home, at times they find appropriate.

The creation of CareerMine - the most efficient and effective employee recruitment center available to employers and employees alike.

The creation of the SupplyMine and EquipmentMine - the industries most used and efficient buyers guides for both mining supplies and services, and for mining equipment.

The InfoMine db - which is the most comprehensive mining company and mining property database available to the mining industry; currently being expanded to provide the worldwide coverage needed for the global mining industry.

Unrivalled coverage for mining news, and host of other mining information services covering Events, Publications, Consultants, Investment, Technology, Commodities and Countries with mined resources.

In 2004 we expect to add considerably to the functionality and content of InfoMine, providing resources to further increase the efficiency and productivity of the global mining industry.