Sandstorm Gold Ltd. has “reported a net loss of $74.6 million in 2013 but hit record gold sales on 36,146 ounces.

Small-Cap Star Endeavor Silver Corp. (EXK) had a rocky 2013, with big gains and losses. On the whole, the company started the year still in a lengthy downtrend.

Investing in gold stocks over the past few years has been tough. It’s like crossing the start line intending to run a 10K race, but the course turns out to be the distance of a marathon.

The biggest gold producers say global output will fall short of expectations and is poised to decline after the worst price slump in three decades spurred them to cut spending and revise mining plans.

The London gold fix, the benchmark used by miners, jewelers and central banks to value the metal, may have been manipulated for a decade by the banks setting it, researchers say.

Mexican precious metal miner Fresnillo reported a 64.4pc drop in profit last year compared to 2012.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced it is taking the first steps toward restricting or even prohibiting development of a massive gold-and-copper prospect near the headwaters of a premier sockeye-salmon fishery in southwest Alaska.