Any natural resources company will admit that the permitting process to get activities underway is difficult and time-consuming. Given a solid plan of attack and good will with the permitting agencies, the process can move forward with a minimum amount of delay and expense. Solid management and a desire to work toward a common goal is the key to getting operations under way sooner rather than later. Timing an investment to when the process is nearing completion is the key.

Canadian Zinc Corp., an exploration and development mining company, works to find, develop and exploit mineral deposits primarily in Canada. The company is currently advancing mine permitting and development activities in the Northwest Territories of Canada.

Although the permitting process for new or existing mines is generally a long and arduous one, Canadian Zinc is making significant progress in all areas. Its primary mining project, Prairie Creek, is a reclamation and enhancement

The legions of miners drawn to the 1840’s California gold fields is a testament to the power of gold. Miners braved all sorts of conditions to strike it rich, and that lure still draws miners and fortune seekers to the last unexplored regions of the world. Although many people will never be able to actually participate in the adventure of gold mining in unexplored regions of the planet, the opportunity to be a part of the adventure does exist. Playing the edges of the gold mining business can be fun and exciting for the adventurous at heart, and it can also be profitable if hurdles can be overcome and the long run is considered.

Elray Resources Inc., a junior exploration and development mining company, works to identify and exploit gold and other precious metal deposits, primarily in Cambodia and Mexico. The company has a large presence within the developing Cambodian

There are two types of headaches in the mining game, start-up headaches and production headaches. The first sets of headaches are painful as paperwork and approvals just never seem to end. The second sets of headaches are painful but perfectly pleasant as product rolls out and profits roll in.

Finding a company that has been through the first set and is ready to happily enjoy the second is one of the best ways to invest in an exploration and development mining company. An investor that can find a mining company that is past the exploration phase and in the production phase is an investor that will profit nicely, when commodity prices behave.

Petaquilla Minerals Ltd., an exploration and development mining company, works to find and extract gold resources primarily in Panama. The company has been working to delineate and define this particular find for some time and expects its first gold

Gaining approvals for any mine site is a difficult process. Add in the issue of the mine being an open-pit mine and the process becomes that much more difficult. Eventually, however, the process of mining can begin if the effort to satisfy all parties involved is approached correctly. In this regard, an investor that wants to become involved with a mining company needs to find a company that has; not only good operational mining skills but a management team in place that understands the political processes of mining.

Continental Minerals Corp., an exploration and development mining company, is currently working to complete the approvals process for a copper/gold open-pit mining project in the Tibet Autonomous Region. In total, there are seven approvals and reports to be filed and accepted before mining may begin. The company is now close to acceptance for all approvals and reports.

The proposed copper/gold/silver mine property will