I keep reading about investment houses hiring new mining researchers. There seems to be a stirring in the markets about mining again and they are getting prepared.

For example today Ian Parkinson has been hired by GMP Securities to cover base metals because two of their people left earlier this year to go elsewhere. He came from CIBC. He is going to be a Director covering Canadian base metal companies.

Here's something he wrote back in 2010, the year he was ranked 4th out of 96 global mining analysts by the Wall Street Journal:

"The Globe and Mail reports in its Wednesday, Sept. 15, edition that CIBC World Markets analyst Ian Parkinson has done an extensive review of junior copper producers that trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange, combing through more than 160 companies and more than 200 projects to determine which players are most likely to draw the acquisitive eye of large mining companies and sovereign wealth funds in China, India, Brazil and other developing economies. The Globe's Simon Avery writes in the Number Cruncher column that Mr. Parkinson says merger and acquisition activity is set to jump in the space and investors who choose the most attractive junior players will see substantial returns. He says, "In very simplistic terms, we believe if you're long what China's short, you're in a good position." Mr. Parkinson recommends buying Minera Andes, Terrane Metals, Augusta Resource, Antares Minerals, Far West Mining, Copper Fox Metals, Nevada Copper."