This should bring some attention to the sector as earnings for companies in just about every other sector continue to plummet. Unless of course as which often applies, any good news for the PM sector has already been priced in.

Regards - VHF

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Newmont profit surges on high gold prices

The Associated Press April 24, 2008 at 7:00 AM EDT

NEW YORK — Newmont Mining, one of the world's top gold producers, says its first-quarter earnings surged as gold prices spiked amid weakness in global financial markets and the U.S. dollar.

Denver-based Newmont Mining Corp. says it earned $370-million (U.S.), or 81 cents per share, up sharply from year-ago profit of $68-million, or 15 cents per share.

Earnings from continuing operations totalled 80 cents per share in the latest period. Revenue climbed to $1.94-billion from $1.22-billion, as the average price per ounce of gold jumped to $933 from $649 a year earlier.

Thomson Financial says analysts expected a profit of 54 cents per share on revenue of $1.66 billion.