On Monday, Radius Gold (TSX: V.RDU, Stock Forum) shares climbed 19% to 34 cents after the micro cap explorer said it has entered into a binding letter agreement pursuant to which B2Gold Corp. (TSX: T.BTO, Stock Forum) has agreed to acquire a 100% interest in the Trebol and El Pavon gold properties in Nicaragua for $20 million, payable in common shares of B2Gold. In addition, B2Gold has agreed to make contingent payments to Radius of US$10 per ounce of gold on 40% of any proven and probable mineral reserves in excess of 500,000 ounces (on a 100% basis).
As well, shares of Avion Gold (TSX: T.AVR, Stock Forum) added 9% at 94 cents on more than 5.1 million shares traded as the gold miner announced first-quarter 2012 production of approximately 26,256 ounces of gold from its Tabakoto/Ségala operations in Mali, West Africa. The company added that this has set a record for amount of gold produced in one quarter.
"Record production in March was achieved despite a military coup in the last week of the month. The strong results are a testament to the hard work and dedication of the management team at the mine site, and the higher than expected grades and lower dilution at the Tabakoto underground mine," said Avion's COO, Andrew Bradfield.
In Tuesday trading, Northern Graphite (TSX: V.NGC, Stock Forum) shares jumped as much as 14% to $2.65 after the graphite explorer announced that it has entered into a Strategic Cooperation Agreement with Ottawa’s Panacis Inc., whereby the parties will assist in developing and promoting each other's Canadian products and services with respect to Lithium ion batteries. Panacis is a provider of Lithium Polymer battery based energy storage systems.
Also, shares of Augusta Resource (TSX: T.AZC, Stock Forum) moved up 10% to $2.54 after the junior miner reported that the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality has issued the Aquifer Protection Permit (APP) for its Rosemont Copper project. The APP establishes the operating standards and controls to ensure the protection of ground water and is effective for the life of the mine. The company added that Rosemont has now received six major permits required to begin construction, with the other major permits expected in the second quarter or in the third quarter of 2012.
Wednesday’s market action saw shares of TomaGold (TSX: V.LOT, Stock Forum) soar 128% to 80 cents after its Monster Lake project in Chibougamau, Que., coughed up a high grade intersection in a single drill hole. TomaGold said it intersected 5.7 metres grading 237.6 grams gold per tonne in hole M-12-60, which is part of an 18-hole program that aims to demonstrate continuity and confirm the northern extension of the Annie Zone.
Mountain Lake Resources (TSX: V.MOA, Stock Forum) shares rose 20% to 36 cents after the junior tabled drill results from its Valentine Lake property in central Newfoundland. Highlights include high grade intervals of up to 109.9 grams per tonne (3.2 ounces) gold within a broader 18-metre interval of 13.81 grams per tonne (0.4 ounces) gold. The Valentine Lake property is a 50/50 joint venture between Mountain Lake and Marathon Gold Corp. (TSX: T.MOZ, Stock Forum).
On Thursday,NMC Resource (TSX: V.ELS, Stock Forum) shares were up 16.3% to 50 cents on news of a production increase at its Moland molybdenum mine in South Korea. The Vancouver company said it has increased the average daily throughput by 20% to approximately 1,050 ore tonnes from 876 tonnes in 2011. NMC said it plans to produce 800 tonnes of molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) this year.
In addition, shares of El Tigre Silver (TSX: V.NRC, Stock Forum) added 8% at 27 cents after the company announced assay results from exploration at its El Tigre silver project in Sonora, Mexico. The latest results are from an auger drilling program that aims to test mine rock that was accumulated at the main haulage level (700 level) at the El Tigre mine. The average silver assay of the nine auger samples was 259 grams per tonne (7.5 ounces per tonne).
And, in Friday trading, PNG Gold (TSX: V.PGK, Stock Forum) shares powered 10% higher to 21.5 cents on volume of more than 2.7 million shares after the micro cap explorer announced assay results from its 2011 exploration program at the Imwauna gold project in eastern Papua New Guinea, which included 112 grams per tonne (g/t) gold over 6.0 metres.
Finally, shares of COM DEV International (TSX: T.CDV, Stock Forum) gained 14% to $2.32 on more than 1.7 million shares traded as the provider of space hardware and services reported first-quarter net income attributable to shareholders of $3.6 million, or five cents a share, an increase of $3.5 million compared to $77,000, or break even on a per-share basis, during the same period last year. Revenue, though, slipped 6% to $47.2 million.