Russia's Gold Makers Kill Each Other

Russia's natural resources watchdog will hold an urgent inspection of a number of coal and gold mining enterprises in three Russian regions, the Natural Resources Ministry said today.

At least 11 miners were killed in a fire that broke out Thursday at a goldmine in the Chita Region, and it is still unclear whether the 20 people who remain underground are alive. Thirty-one miners were evacuated.

In other Russian news, OJSC Krasnoyarsk V. N. Gulidov's Nonferrous Metals Plant (Krastsvetmet) refined 10% more gold and 50% more silver from January to July, 2006 than for the similar period of last year. Jewelry and silicon plants increased production volumes one third too, the joint-stock company's press service reported.