Tuesday, September 08, 2009

Searching for $1000 Gold

Higher gold prices are something that all gold prospectors wish to see. Gold fetching $1,000 per once is much better than say $600. For the serious prospector getting a higher value for his or her gold usually ranks as high on the dream list as finding a good lode of the stuff.

Lately due to the uneasiness in stock markets and economies, more and more people appear to be seeking refuge in gold as a investment safety net. This and other factors such as possible supply shortages have caused the price of gold to rise to high levels, excellent prices compared to a few years ago.

The increasing price situation is good for the mining companies and prospectors alike. While some folks predict gold will reach $1,200 per once in the next year or so,which would be great, however rather that happens or not there is still reason to be happy at today's prices.

Today Reuters is now carrying a story titled

RPT-PRECIOUS-Gold futures hit $1,000/oz as investors seek refuge

Here is an exert and link to that story.

By Chikako Mogi

TOKYO, Sept 8 (Reuters) - U.S. gold futures hit a six-month
high of $1,000 and spot gold also rose to six-month high on
Tuesday as the dollar's weakness, concerns about the
sustainability of the global economic recovery and worries
about inflation underpinned sentiment.

Some market players were cautious about prices sustaining
$1,000, however, saying the rally had been driven by
speculators and gold was an expensive buy in historical terms.

Futures have topped $1,000 nine times -- three times this
year and six last year, including a record $1,033.90. Spot
prices have risen above $1,000 just four times - once in
February and three times in March 2008, when they hit a record
$1,030.80.

"Futures were always going to lead the way above $1,000, so
spot can't be far behind. Gold's rising price is due to
uncertainty all the way from personal investors right through
to institutions," said Sandra Close, an analyst for gold
research group Surbiton Associates.

"There are questions out there over the health of
economies, where interest rates are going. All that encourages
gold hoarding. There's potential to see the price go even
higher," she said.

Spot gold XAU= rose as high as $997.90, its highest since
February, when it briefly topped $1,000, before easing to
$994.80. New York's notional close was $993.85.

U.S. gold futures for December delivery GCZ9 touched
$1,000 briefly before slipping to $996.3 per ounce. Futures
settled at $996.70 on Friday. U.S. markets were closed on
Monday for the Labor Day holiday.

Link to Full Reuters Story

Happy Prospecting

Wednesday, September 02, 2009

Gold Prospecting reaps rewards

I seldom get to comment on what being a prospector means to me personally. Today is one of those very few times. Yesterday I had the pleasure of signing a deal with an exploration company that will provide me the prospector with assurances of a good deal on property held by a company I helped form. This is an example of what we look forward to as prospectors, when we find the good areas and get them explored by hard work or as in this case hard work and an option to explore by another company.

It sometimes takes a deal of this caliber to show the value of prospectors and it often also takes the means available of a better healed company in order to get the work done. Here is the press release announcing our deal.

EagleRidge Minerals has now positioned itself as a major land owner in the Rice Lake Gold Belt of Manitoba

EagleRidge Minerals Options Freeman and Bolger Claims in the Rice Lake Greenstone Belt of Southeast Manitoba

September 1, 2009 - Pinawa, Manitoba
EagleRidge Minerals Ltd. (“ERM” or the “Company”) is pleased to announce that it has finalized an option agreement with Central Consolidated Resources (“CCR”) for two claim groups in the Rice Lake greenstone belt of southeast Manitoba.
The Freeman and Bolger mineral claims are located near Bissett, Manitoba. The mineral claims consist of the seven (7) contiguous Freeman claims covering an area of 1707 hectares. These claims are located 1,500 metres to the northeast of the present San Gold Corporation mineral lease. The five (5) Bolger claims cover 468 hectares and are located 13 kilometres to the west-southwest of the San Gold mining operations. Both claim groups are in very active areas for gold exploration.

The agreement allows ERM the right to acquire 100% of the properties by completing $520,000 in exploration over the next two years and by providing CCR with $200,000 and 700,000 shares over the same time period. CCR will retain a 3% net smelter royalty and an area of interest royalty. ERM has the option to purchase half of the CCR royalty for $1,500,000.

At present ERM holds or has optioned a total of 18,000 hectares of mineral claims in the Rice Lake greenstone belt. This ground holds potential for new gold showings in light of the recent gold discoveries being made by San Gold and the exploration activities by other companies in the region. The addition of the Freeman-Bolger claims has strengthened ERM’s land holdings in belt.
Prospecting and geological exploration teams will soon be deployed on the new claims.
Carey Galeschuk, P.Geo, ERM President and COO, is the qualified person under the definition of NI 43-101 for these projects.
About EagleRidge Minerals Ltd.

ERM is presently a privately traded company. The Company is focused on gold and base metal mineral exploration in the provinces of Manitoba and Newfoundland and Labrador. The company operates exploration office in both Manitoba and Newfoundland and Labrador.