GoldON Resources (CVE:GLD), which recently started trading under a new symbol after changing its name from Newcastle Minerals, says it has started its 2013 exploration on its Swayze gold property that adjoins Iamgold's (TSE:IMG) multi-million ounce Cote gold project in Ontario. 

Newcastle Minerals (CVE:NCM) CEO Mike Romanik has just acquired another 100,000 shares of the company, on top of a series of recent share acquisitions by the chief - a show of confidence in the junior mineral explorer that has just had a restructuring plan approved. 

With the backing of a heavyweight gold miner, Canadian junior Newcastle Minerals (CVE:NCM) is set for a busy year ahead, with a planned reinvention of sorts, including a restructuring and rebranding of the company in a bid to raise funds for its projects in two of the prolific mining belts of Ontario. 

Newcastle Minerals (CVE:NCM) (USOTC: NCMBF) has hired MPH Consulting to complete an NI 43-101 compliant technical report on its Swayze Belt properties, which adjoin Iamgold's (TSE:IMG) (NYSE:IAG) multi-million ounce Cote gold project halfway between Timmins and Sudbury in Ontario. 

Newcastle Minerals (CVE:NCM) Monday confirmed a deal that sees Trelawney Mining and Exploration (CVE:TRR) become a "significant" major shareholder.

The news came with a trading halt on Barrick’s stock on the TSX effective 12:04pm Toronto time, and on stock inSilver Wheaton (NYSE:SLW) (TSE:SLW), the embattled giant’s partner on the project, a few minutes later. Prior to the stop trade order, stock in Barrick was trading down, hitting an intraday low of $19.41 per share from an open of $19.56, a far cry from the stock’s 52 week high of $43.30  per share.

Klondex Mines (TSE:KDX) was touted as having a high grade resource in a strategic location with potential for a "number of upside opportunities" on Friday, in an initial coverage report by Casimir Capital's Erin Winmill. The analyst started the advanced-stage development company, which is focused on its Fire Creek gold project in Nevada, with a speculative buy rating and a $2.50 price target - more than double its current trading price. 

Revett Minerals (NYSE MKT:RVM) (TSE:RVM)  plunged almost 25 per cent on Thursday after the company said it must slash its workforce at its Troy mine amid some unexpected structural damage found as part of its underground development work. 

Sunridge Gold Corp. (CVE:SGC) has added more good news to an already auspicious month with the completion of a mineral resource estimate for the Kodadu target on the company’s Asmara project in Eritrea, the sixth such mineral resource defined by the Vancouver-based exploration and development company on the property.

The new DFS for Aureus's New Liberty gold mine in Liberia has increased the net present value of the asset, and points to lower operating costs and improved proven plus probable reserves.