"Silver Standard Resources (NASDAQ: SSRI) has set a new standard for silver resources; simply put, its boasts the largest published in-ground silver resource of any publicly-traded silver company," says mining stock specialist Brien Lundin.

In The Gold Newsetter he adds, "We were fortunate over the years that the great idea behind this company was combined with a great management team, as CEO Bob Quartermain is among the best in the business."

"Silver Standard has 1.127 billion ounces in measured and indicated resources, plus another 195 million ounces in proven and probable reserves, and another 456 million ounces in inferred resources.

"Its resources come from a portfolio of properties spanning the globe from Argentina, Peru, and Mexico, to Canada, Chile, the US and Australia. Now the companyis making the transition to production with aggressive development programs on five core properties.

Newmont Mining's (NYSE: NEM) stock continues to meander, despite an average, higher price for gold so far in 2009. The primary culprit? An average, lower price for copper.

Still, with a likely FY2009 revenue gain of 6-7%, I'm Reiterating my Buy rating for the company, first recommended on June 3, 2009 at a price of $46.42.

"Certain commodities are getting hot again; both copper and gold have the wind at their backs in this market, while uranium has also caught our attention," says Brandon Clay.

In his Invest with an Edge, he explains, "One such company that should gain from a spike in gold, uranium, and copper is Vancouver-based Fronteer Development Group (NYSE: FRG).

"Uranium is a perennially despised substance with a back story in catastrophe, espionage, protests, and nuclear fallout. But this sometimes-sordid history may prove too weak an objection for the outstanding potential in uranium.

"Stocks are so low that the best are bound to attract bargain-hunters ... eventually," says Timothy Lutts. One such value he highlights in The Cabot Stock of the Month Report is Royal Gold (NASDAQ: RGLD).

He explains, "Royal Gold doesn't own any gold mines. It doesn't mine gold. It doesn't buy gold. And it doesn't sell gold. It simply owns the rights to royalties from a variety of precious metals producers."

"The major benefit of Royal Gold's approach to the gold business is that it involves no capital costs, no operating costs and no legal or environmental liabilities. The major drawback? Well, we haven't found it yet.

"Royal Gold is not large. It has annual revenues of just $69 million and 34 million shares outstanding. However, Royal Gold is the biggest company in the world that derives its revenues solely from precious metal royalties.

"Weakness in commodities suggests a screaming sign of an overreaction; it's time to take another look at a high-quality, high-yielding commodity stocks such as Southern Copper (NYSE: PCU)," says global investing expert Nick Lanyi.

In his High Yield International, he says, "With mines in Mexico and Peru, Southern Copper ranks #1 in total copper reserves of any publicly traded company, making it almost a pure play on a rebound in the metal's price." Here's his contrarian outlook.

"Southern Copper has enough reserves to continue its current rate of production for the next 80 years without a single expansion or acquisition.

"With copper prices falling, the firm's earnings are taking a hit -- and the dividend has recently been cut. Now that this cut has already been factored into the shares, I think it's a better time to look at the stock than just a few weeks ago.

"Based on 2008 dividends, the stock yields 12.7% at the current price. Even if the dividend comes down more, I look for a yield of 8-9% over the next 12 months.

"Luxembourg-based ArcelorMittal (NYSE: MT) is the only truly global steel manufacturer, operating in 60 countries on five continents," says Gordon Pape.

In his Internet Wealth Builder, he explains, "Like all steel companies, ArcelorMittal would be temporarily affected by a world recession but as a long-term international growth stock for your portfolio, it should be a winner."

"When you read through MT's 2007 annual report, you are left with the impression of a company with an insatiable appetite for growth. In just one year, MT entered into a joint venture deal for a steel mill in Saudi Arabia and built a new steel service centre in Poland.

"It also completed the acquisition of Sicarsta in Mexico, thereby creating that country's largest steel producer; received mining concessions in Senegal and purchased a 77% stake in a German gas distribution company to add to its regional energy network.

"It also bought a 51% stake in one of Turkey's largest steel companies and a 70% position in an Italian steel distributor; bought 100% of an Estonian steel galvanizing line.

"There's no doubt about it: vital resources are in a bull market of gigantic proportions," note Yiannis Mostrous and Roger Conrad.

"The co-editors of Vital Resource Investor caution that "no market moves in a straight line, and in commodities, the action is often extremely violent." However, for long-term investors, they offer some favorites in iron ore, aluminum and copper.

"All commodity bull markets are ultimately gored by demand destruction, alternatives and new supply. But it will almost certainly be years before that happens to this one. And that means plenty of money will be made along the way.

"We're still extremely bullish on iron ore as the market remains in deficit and prices continue to rise. Chinese domestic supply has been falling and, if this continues, imports will make up the difference, thereby helping the miners.

"China consumes 51% of the world's iron supply. Portfolio holding Companhia Vale do Rio Doce (NYSE: RIO), the world's largest iron ore producer, will benefit from the shortage in iron ore supply.

"We favor aluminum in the industrial metals sector. We've been advocating aluminum for some time, and the market's finally going our way. Aluminum prices have been impacted by lack of available power in China and South Africa and higher alumina and bauxite prices.

"You must own some gold in this economic environment," emphasizes natural resources authority Larry Edelson who sees the recent setback in gold prices as "an ideal time to buy."

The editor of Real Wealth offers two "core" favorites for those seeking to invest in the sector: streetTRACKS Gold Trust (NYSE: GLD) and Yamana Gold (NYSE: AUY). Here is his review.

"Gold represents the epitome of the natural resource boom. It is the world's best barometer of inflation and financial crises. When inflation is on the rise, as it is now all over the world, gold thrives.

"And when there are financial crises, as we now have with the plunging dollar and the meltdown in the mortgage markets in the U.S. - gold gets an extra boost. Savvy investors flock to the safety of the precious metal, pushing its price even higher.

"In addition, there's more to the bull market in gold than just inflation and financial problems in the United States. Three billion new consumers in Asia are buying gold hand over fist! Previously in China, investors were not allowed to own gold. Now they can, and they are buying up gold like crazy.

What's a value investor to do, my oh my...

Well folks, I have been following Anglo American plc (ADR) (NASDAQ: AAUK) for quite some time now. We own it in one portfolio, but recently I missed what now looks like a great opportunity to load up on it for the long haul.

In January the stock was trading under $25 for a few days but I was on vacation -- I'm forced to take one every so often by my family, I'm sure some of you know how that is. This was the week the DJIA dropped over 500 points one day when Bernanke dropped the Fed rate by a full point.

When I returned I set a stock alert for $26 per share thinking this would be doable. Unfortunately the lowest price it was available at in February was $27.20, intraday, on the 5th. It has only gone up since and closed yesterday at $33.28. It is trading up $1.35 mid-day to $34.63. All I can do is keep watching for another opportunity and be patient.

Anybody out there get in at the right time? AAUK is one of my picks for 2008 Chasing Value: Anglo American diamonds and gold are your best friend. Mr. noital has been cherry picking my picks for a while now -- anybody else out smart the 'professor'?

Sheldon Liber is the CEO of a small private investment company and the principal for design and research at an architecture & planning firm. He writes the columns Chasing Value and Serious Money. Disclosure: I own shares of AAUK.

Update: AAUK closed at $34.635 (UP 1.355)

With a penchant for following insider buying, Jack Adamo takes a fundamental long-term approach to investing. In his Insider Plus newsletter, he has been a fan of mining companies, and sees recent price weakness as a reason to add to positions in Meridian Gold (NYSE:MDG) and Compania de Minas Buenaventura (NYSE:BVN).

His proprietary indicators, which follow patterns of insider buying and selling, had been forecasting a setback for metals; as such, he did not view the recent pullback as a surprise. And with the "speculative fever" in the gold sector having cooled, he is now more comfortable recommending mining positions.

One favorite is Meridian Gold, which he notes pulled back nearly 16% on what he cites as no news except a broker downgrade from Market Outperform to Market Perform. He notes, "This is hardly cause for panic."

"Meridian is back within our buy range now," he says. "If you don't own the stock, I'd ease in by buying a half position at this time, and waiting to see what the market does. Still, it's a good long-term buy at this price, with the stock down 33% from its 52-week high."

Each year Steven Halpern, editor of TheStockAdvisors.com, surveys the leading financial newsletter advisors asking for their favorite stocks for the coming year. This article is part of his 24th annual Top Picks Report.

Taseko Mines Ltd. (ASE: TGB) is the favorite speculative play for 2007 from Tom Bishop, editor of BI Research. He notes, "After living hand to mouth for five or six years during lean copper and gold prices, Taseko bought the Gibraltar mine, which it picked up for a song when copper was down in the low $0.60/lb range.

"Today copper is around $3/lb, the mine is back into production and now its cash stash, including proceeds from a $30 million convertible, is steaming towards C$100 million. The company just added about 38% to its mineral reserves, which now stand at 256 million tons (equating to a 15-year mine life) grading 0.32% copper and 0.01% molybdenum.

Note the molybdenum alone adds over $20 million to revenues annually. The company is upgrading and expanding its Gibraltar mill/production facility, and will be moving to a higher grade softer ore part of the ore body in 2007. Therefore, with mill improvements I expect production to increase 20 to 30% this year and generate about $0.65 to $0.70 of cash flow, which is not bad for a company trading at $2.60.