In today’s market, many investors are parking their money on the side-lines. There is obviously no safer place than cash in a market that is fairly unpredictable. Leaving that money on the sidelines, however, means just that, leaving it to sit. Some investments have a fairly long lead time and require patients and foresight.

The pure capitalist tends to drool a bit at the mere mention of a captive market. The opportunity to sell into a marketplace that has only a few favored suppliers is a dream come true. In most instances, captive markets are few and far in-between, but when they do show up, it’s an opportunity to take advantage.

Puda Coal, Inc. (PUDC.OB), a high grade metallurgical coking coal supplier in China, reported its 3rd quarter financial results today and the numbers are strong. Revenue hit $74.1 million, an 82% increase over third-quarter 2007’s revenues. Operating income came in at $9.0 million, while net income reached $6.5 million.

Lake Victoria Mining Company, Inc. (OTCBB: LVCA) recently received significant and encouraging assay results from soil samples collected at the Kalemela gold project, located 125 kilometers east of Mwanza in northern Tanzania.

Legend International Holdings, Inc. stepped up its drive to capitalize on Australia’s rich mineral deposits announcing an agreement today with Mt Isa Metals, an Australian based exploration company, to merge projects and form a joint venture to develop the D-Tree phosphate deposit in northeast Australia.

When it comes right down to it, in the natural resources game exploration is exploration. Sometimes an explorer hits it big, other times he tastes dust. From an investor’s point of view, when to make an investment in a natural resources company is the key.

Making a company a going concern is a matter of long hours, personal sacrifice and quite a bit of luck and timing. The old phrase “when the stars align” often also applies. When all these factors come together, a solid revenue producing company is established.

Colorado Goldfields Inc. (CGFI.OB) is a Denver-based junior exploration and mining company primarily exploring for gold and silver in Colorado.

Wits Basin Precious Minerals Inc. (OTCBB: WITM) is a minerals exploration and development company with interests in three exploration projects. The company today announced a joint-venture partnership with a leading international mining and development company for the steel industry, London Mining Plc.

Gold mining is a game of numbers that need to add up to profit before any mining is done in the first place. If the price of gold is high enough, gold mining happens. In recent months gold prices have risen to historic highs while dropping quickly in recent days. In either case, the price of gold is high enough to mine and should remain that way for some time.

Uranium Energy Corp. (UEC) is a junior resource company dedicated to becoming a near-term ISR (in-situ recovery) uranium producer in the United States. ISR mining is a noninvasive, environmentally friendly mining process involving minimal surface disturbance. Uranium Energy Corp. controls one of the largest historical uranium exploration and development databases in America.

The Thesis: Newmont Mining goes into the ground and comes back out with lots of shiny and valuable rocks. The real story here is that the stock had a good and important day yesterday, breaking its recent downward trendline and on much higher than average volume, to boot...