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by Will Purcell

The diamond and specialty minerals stocks box score for Thursday was a mediocre 42-47-149. The TSX Venture Exchange fell fractionally to 556 while polished diamond prices inched higher. Nicholas Houghton's True North Gems Inc. (TGX) jumped 2.5 cents to 15.5 cents on 122,000 shares. The company is in the final stages of construction of its Aappaluttoq ruby and sapphire mine on western Greenland. The little $25-million mine should be in production next year. Anthony Huston's Graphite One Resources Inc. (GPH) dropped one cent to 9.5 cents on 977,000 shares. The company continues to tout its big graphite project at Graphite Creek in western Alaska, but it will need more cash to keep the play moving along.

Chris Taylor's Dunnedin Ventures Inc. (DVI), down one-half cent to 4.5 cents on 220,000 shares, is facing a dissident shareholder and a threatened proxy fight. The company's former special adviser, Allan Barry Laboucan, says he was "pushed out of Dunnedin" but plans a return. Mr. Laboucan is best known as an "editor, writer and show host" with Allan Barry Reports, his on-line tout site. A year ago Mr. Taylor, Dunnedin's president and chief executive officer, appointed him as a special adviser. Appointments are usually gushy affairs, and Mr. Taylor lauded his new adviser as "one of the most well-rounded diamond industry experts in Canada." He did not back up the claim, limiting his description of Mr. Laboucan's experience to his frequent guest appearances on business television programs seeking his opinions on resource companies and market trends, his role as "chief market commentator" with Agoracom.com, as well as his work with Allan Barry Reports.

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