Dear CIGAs,

With the world's mineral resources being depleted by unprecedented demand from developing nations, mining companies and end users are desperately looking for new sources of supply.

That being said, is it any wonder that some of the most pre-eminent names on the global mining scene (Homestake, Placer Dome, Inco and Falconbridge to name a few) have simply disappeared - gobbled up by competitors who realize that buying mineral resources on the open market is a lot easier than discovering the resources themselves.

Given the high capital cost and risk associated with exploration in virgin territory, most of these predatory companies are looking closely at established mineral belts where mines have been found and are still being discovered. It's not rocket science but just common sense.

What we've seen so far on the merger front is only the tip of the proverbial iceberg. In the coming years, companies with good land positions in the world's most prolific mineral belts will reap the rewards of their efforts at premiums that will shock you by today's standards. In fact, the targeting process is happening as I speak.