Ontario-focused Gowest Gold (CVE:GWA)(OTCBB:GWSAF) Monday announced positive results of its recently-completed preliminary economic assessment (PEA) for its 100%-owned flagship Frankfield East Gold deposit, part of the North Timmins gold project in Ontario.

Many gold deposits have been developed within the Timmins Gold Camp and along the Abitibi Gold belt that containing significant gold resources at depths of up to 1,500 metres, and are located 20 kilometres from Frankfield East

The Toronto-based junior gold explorer said that as the deposit remains open and unexplored at depth, it is confident that the ongoing drilling program, through until 2012, will continue to find additional gold.

In January, the company are expecting to release an updated resource estimate, which all early signs are suggesting will show some strong numbers, and pave the path for a scoping study

Solitario Exploration & Royalty Corp.(TSE:SLR)(AMEX:XPL) and Ely Gold & Minerals (CVE:ELY) announced positive feasibility study results on the Centennial gold deposit situated on the Mount Hamilton property in Nevada.

Sunridge Gold (CVE:SGC) Wednesday announced a new independent resource estimate for the Adi Nefas zinc-gold-copper volcanogenic-massive-sulphide (VMS) deposit at its 100 percent-owned Asmara project in Eritrea.

The next six months will be crucial in the development of TSX-listed Meadow Bay Gold, which is already starting to attract the attention of some of the sector’s largest operators. 

Minera IRL passed another important milestone recently as work began on a 1.2 kilometre tunnel at its flagship Ollachea gold project in Peru.

Gold demand struck 14-year highs in 2011, driven by record investment and buying in China, which could overtake India in 2012 as the world's top consumer, according to a report on Thursday.