This article is part of a 20 article special report on "Metals, miners and money".

"When building a portfolio of junior mining stocks, stick with the best -- not just the cheapest," says money manager and advisor Adrian Day in his industry-leading The Global Analyst.

Although he is cautious on gold prices for the near term, Adrian Day suggests, "Gold is still only part way through its current bull move, one that likely still has years to run." Here, he looks at five favorite top-quality junior miners.

"Gold has had an extraordinary run, based partly on the decline in the dollar, which appears overdone in the short term. The fundamentals for a weaker dollar and for a stronger gold price remain intact, but I would be cautious about chasing markets now, especially the seniors.

"But it would be a mistake to sell too much, particularly in an attempt to trade the market and buy back precisely the same stocks at lower prices. Such attempts often end badly, as one fails to buy back favorite companies after selling at perhaps intermediate tops.

Continue reading Top resource ideas: Adrian Day 'sticks with the best'

Top resource ideas: Adrian Day 'sticks with the best' originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 11 Nov 2007 14:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Last December, over 100 stocks were featured in our Top Picks for 2007 report. Now, at mid-year, we turn to the 20 advisors whose picks showed the strongest gains to get an update on their previous picks, as well as a new favorite stock for the second half of the year.

Adrian Day, editor of the Global Analyst, chose Virginia Mines Inc. (TSE: VGQ) as his favorite stock for 2007, which rose 31% as of 6/1/07. Here's Adrian's original recommendation on Virginia Mines and his current opinion on the stock.

His new favorite for the rest of 2007 is -- like Virginia -- a "gold company with a difference." His new pick is Vista Gold Corp. (ASE: VGZ). He explains, "During the early 2000s, when the price of gold was weak, Vista acquired known gold resources, but ones that were uneconomic at the time.

"This enabled it to build reserves inexpensively, and rather than mining them when the price was low, it held on to the gold in the ground, building value as the price of bullion appreciated.

"Now Vista has 12 properties around the world in various stages of development, some economic at today's higher price. Together, it has over 13 million ounces of resource (proven, probable, and indicated), valued at just over $20 per ounce in the ground -- very cheap.

"In addition to the considerable exploration potential at many of its properties, it also has $20 million in cash. With strong leverage to rising gold prices, we would buy Vista as an option on gold, but one without an expiration date."

Top 20 advisors: Adrian Day views Vista Gold originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 19 Jun 2007 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.