The Globe and Mail reports in its Monday edition that Canada's junior gold mining sector is on track for its best year for financing in nearly a decade as companies take advantage of soaring gold prices to load up on cash and advance long-delayed exploration and development projects. The Globe's Mark Rendell and Niall McGee write that fuelled by a weak U.S. dollar and expectations of inflation, gold prices have raced higher in recent months, hitting $1,900 an ounce on Friday, only about $20 below the historic high in 2011 (all figures U.S.). This run-up has allowed dozens of Canadian mining firms, long out of favour with investors, to tap equity markets in a wave of bought deals. Most of the deals have been small, averaging around $20-million this year. Senior mining companies are generally well financed and cash-flow positive, so have not needed to raise additional capital. For junior issuers, however, the market opening has allowed them to secure much-needed cash and push forward projects that were not considered fundable just months ago. Artemis Gold raised $105-million in a bought deal in June to buy a mine in British Columbia from New Gold. In July, Argonaut Gold did a $110-million bought deal to move ahead with construction at its Magino mine in Ontario.