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by Stockwatch Business Reporter

New York spot gold closed up $13.70 to $1,294.20 Friday, following a disappointing July jobs report. The United States economy added 209,000 jobs last month, just missing analysts' projection of 233,000. Here in Canada, the TSX Venture Exchange slipped a fraction of a point to 1,000.63, while the TSX Gold Index gained 2.58 points to 198.52.

Canada's larger gold miners followed bullion higher. Agnico Eagle Mines Ltd. (AEM) climbed 61 cents to $41.15, Goldcorp Inc. (G) climbed 42 cents to $30.28, Barrick Gold Corp. (ABX) rose 19 cents to $19.89 and Yamana Gold Inc. (YRI) added 17 cents to $9.47.

Chief Joe Alphonse and his Tsilhqot'in First Nation have published what they are calling a draft mining policy. It is a 19-page document, written in both English and Chilcotin, and it discusses sacred ancestral nens (lands) and how to consult should a company wish to use nens. It is mostly about process. More Tsilhqot'in laws like this one are likely. The band has been making a big fuss since June, when the Supreme Court of Canada handed it aboriginal title to 1,700 square kilometres in British Columbia's Interior. It had asked for 4,300 square kilometres, hoping to receive title to the land upon which Taseko Mines Ltd. (TKO: $2.50) is planning to build its New Prosperity gold mine, but Taseko got lucky. Its project is in the 2,600 untitled square kilometres, prompting CEO Russell Hallbauer to congratulate the Indians in their achievement and unwavering determination. The Indians did not accept his congratulations. Instead, they have accused Mr. Hallbauer of slander, of "reckless disregard" for First Nations and of wrongfully appropriating the company name. Apparently, Taseko took its name from Dasiqox (Da-see-ko) Biny, the second largest lake in the area, and then committed a second sin by proposing a mine site kilometres from the watershed. Chief Alphonse is now rubbing two federal government rejections of Taseko's New Prosperity mine in Taseko face, and he made sure that his draft mining policy covers both titled and untitled lands, in what the Tsilhqotin are calling a Stewardship boundary.

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