Uranium explorer Fission Energy Corp  (CVE:FIS)(OTCQX:FSSIF) announced Monday the completion of the 2012 winter drill program at its joint venture Waterbury Lake property in Saskatchewan's Athabasca Basin, with 40 of 49 holes at the all-important J Zone hitting mineralization and growing the target area in three directions.

Fission Energy Corp. (CVE:FIS)(OTCQX:FSSIF) late Monday unveiled an NI 43-101 resource estimate for the J-Zone uranium deposit at its 40,256-hectare Waterbury Lake Property, located in the eastern part of the Athabasca Basin.

Fission Energy (CVE:FIS) has been named one of the top picks for 2012 by capital markets firm Versant Partners, as Versant is expecting an "inevitable consolidation" from the uranium explorer.

The partners have traced a uranium boulder field over 5,000 metres and width of up to 900 metres, where 74 cobble and boulder samples were collected, with 25 returning grades of over 10% U3O8, and 23 returning 1 – 10% U3O8

The Waterbury Lake Uranium Project contains 40,256 hectares and is located in the northeast corner of the Athabasca Basin, strategically located within a 200km long prolific north-east trend

Canadian shares gained a second day as energy producers climbed after positive economic reports from the U.S., the country's largest trading partner, indicated economic growth is gaining momentum, outweighing declines in mining stocks. The resource-heavy benchmark Standard & Poor’s/TSX Composite Index (TSE:OSPTX) added 0.4 percent to 12,557.31 at 12:33 p.m. in Toronto on Friday. Nine of ten groups gained.

If you think the pain in the resource sector is over, Rick Rule will gladly give you a reality check. But, the chairman of Sprott U.S. Holdings says being brash in a bear market where there is no competition will pay off.

Curis Resources (TSE:CUV) has arranged to raise $6 million through a non-brokered private placement financing, with funds to be used to advance the development of the company's Florence copper project in Arizona, which earlier this year yielded strong economics in a prefeasibilty report. 

Iron ore explorer Afferro Mining (LON:AFF) (CVE:AFF) said talks are continuing with would-be buyer International Mining and Infrastructure Corporation (LON:IMIC) following confirmation the latter has the funds needed to launch a bid.

Largo Resources (CVE:LGO) has garnered some impressive feedback from analysts this week, with some saying the company has the potential to become a leading supplier of vanadium in the stable jurisdiction of Brazil.