The financial crisis was all about credit lines shutting down and in the mining industry this of course put pressure more on the juniors than the established miners, who have deep pockets and reputations to fall back on. Yet metals prices are recovering and one would think this would be enough to make the juniors attractive to investment groups once again. Not so. And worse still, the situation makes juniors vulnerable to takeover moves. In this report BNamericas looks at the financing prospects for juniors and their chances of surviving intact until the financing world returns to normal.

Chile's government officials now talk openly about the country having freed itself from the effects of the global financial crisis, and being a country that is heavily dependent on mining it is natural to look in that direction for confirmation of the recovery. However, no country's mining sector is completely self-sufficient and companies must consider the entire eco-system of partners, clients and suppliers before giving the all-clear. As a result, there is still a mix of optimism and cautiousness throughout the region, with a spattering of projects coming back to life while others prefer to "wait and see".

In 2008, at the tail-end of a mining boom in Latin America, BNamericas and PricewaterhouseCoopers carried out a survey to shed light on the Human Resources strategies that mining firms were using to retain and attract professionals, since at the time it was hard to find suitable staff. The global financial crisis eased the urgency, but this now appears to have been only a temporary effect. Compared to other technical professions, careers in mining still seem to be relatively unpopular and in light of this BNamericas considers the relevance of the 2008 surveys' findings, should the industry recover rapidly.

Mining firms have a tough enough time securing funds for exploration and machinery, as well as contending with the vagaries of the metals and minerals markets. Then on top of that they must expend resources in diligently managing their huge operating costs, particularly energy. So what happens when electricity prices, or the cost of the fuels that drive generation, become unpredictable? In this report BNamericas considers the pitfalls and the possible solutions in several cases.

Sulfuric acid is a crucial ingredient for metal extraction by leaching, and it is the mining companies themselves that produce the bulk of the acid, due to their obligation to chemically clean the gases created by smelting processes. Consumption varies between firms and countries, leading to acid trading between them, and the creation of a market that is subject to micro and macro effects like any other. In this report BNamericas analyzes the way this market works in Latin America and considers the trends that are likely to shape it going forward.

Gold has become the shining exception within the gloomy outlook for the global mining industry. An ounce of gold reached a record price of US$1,030.8 on March 17, 2008 - some 59% above the five year average - and although the price dropped to less than US$700 in late October, it began an instant recovery driven by growing demand. In early April, the consultancy GFMS released Gold Survey 2009 which concluded that in the months to come the price for the yellow metal could tip the scales above US$1,000 once again. In this report BNamericas takes a look at this new reality of rising gold prices, which is creating winners and losers all across Latin America's mining map.

The drop in metals prices has forced miners to think differently. Cutting costs and improving efficiency has taken the front seat to optimized production. This has a chilling effect on many equipment providers and contractors, but not all see this as a negative moment. The trend towards efficiency puts added importance on solutions that allow for increased automation and better control of costs, and this brings unique opportunities for Latin America. In this report we analyze the opportunity for automation and innovation and look at the areas that are best positioned to receive new investment.

The crisis has hit mineral exploration at the peak of an unprecedented boom in the sector. The collapse in the banking sector has dried up the availability of credit on which the vast majority of junior firms rely to fund their exploration programs, their shares have plummeted as investors move away from risky markets to more secure assets, and prices of most of the metals and other commodities that exploration and mining firms seek to produce have also slumped. This report looks at what is currently happening with the exploration market worldwide.

The fourth quarter of 2008 brought with it economic turbulence and the tumbling of metals prices, with copper falling to US$1.27 a pound or a third of the US$4 peak reached in the middle of the year. Mining firms have been forced to adapt to these market variations and change their focus from production to cost reduction, which has led to a growing list of postponed projects and shrinking investment budgets. In this report, BNamericas looks at the dynamics of the mining equipment market in Latin America and its likely evolution given the current context of austerity.

The year that just came to an end brought radical changes for the mining industry, prompting a worrisome question: what is the future of metals prices in the short and mid-term? With the recession clobbering industrialized economies, the current perspective looks very negative for investors; the level of uncertainty is high. During the last months of 2008, industrial companies actively reduced inventories in order to confront the crisis. In this report, we will analyze the possible routes that Latin America's mining industry could take in 2009. This edition also includes our 2008 Year in Review and a ranking of the Top TEN mining companies for 2009.