Sierra Metals Inc. regretfully announces the passing on December 31(st) of John Donnelly, a director of the Company and Chairman of the Audit Committee.

Today, several members of the Nyrstar Management Committee notified the Belgian Financial Services and Markets Authority (FSMA) that they acquired Nyrstar NV shares. The acquisition took place in the framework of the management incentive program known as the Leveraged Employee Stock Ownership Plan (LESOP) that was approved by the company’s shareholders at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of 24 April 2013. The LESOP has been made available amongst Nyrstar’s executive management, including the members of the Nyrstar Management Committee.

Mexico’s legislature has approved substantive tax reforms. Some of these changes will have a direct impact on mining companies operating in Mexico. These are some of the more important changes.

Quaterra Resources Inc. announces that as a result of a review by the British Columbia Securities Commission, it is issuing this news release to clarify its disclosure regarding the following issues.

AuRico Gold Inc. today announced that its Board of Directors has declared a dividend payment of $0.04 per share for the fourth quarter ending December 31, 2013, payable on January 29, 2014 to shareholders of record at the close of business on January 14, 2014.

Big North Graphite Corp. announces a non-brokered private placement of up to $250,000 unsecured convertible notes (the “Notes”). The Notes will have a 12-month term and will be convertible into units of the Company at a price of $0.05 per Unit.

Further to its previous news releases, Cortez Gold Corp announces that it will increase its private placement by increasing the size of the offering to 5.5 million units, for gross proceeds of $1.1 million. The pricing remains unchanged at $0.20 per unit with each Unit consisting of one common share of the Company and one-half of one share purchase warrant with each whole Warrant entitling the holder to acquire an additional common share of the Company at $0.40 per share for a period of 24 months after issuance. The Warrants will be subject to an accelerated expiry should the common shares of the Company close at a minimum of $0.60 for a period of twenty consecutive trading days on the TSX Venture Exchange.

Canasil Resources Inc. announces closing of the second tranche of the non-brokered private placement announced on December 3, 2013, for gross proceeds of $96,300 consisting of 1,070,000 units at an exercise price of $0.09 per unit as detailed below. No commission or finder’s fee is payable with respect to this tranche of the placement, which is subject to final approval by the TSX Venture Exchange (“the Exchange”). Together with the previously announced first tranche of 3,000,000 units which closed on December 6, 2013, a total of 4,070,000 units have now closed.