It’s time for another peek at our exclusive newsletter for Taipan Publishing Group subscribers, Taipan Insider.

I told you on Monday that the Chinalco-Rio Tinto deal was delayed for another 90 days. I think the deal will eventually go through, and that would mean another bump in share prices in the mining industry.

In the meantime, I wanted to share with you an article I wrote for Taipan Insider about China buying up assets and natural resources around the world. From March 5… Enjoy.

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About a month ago, I told you all here that Rio Tinto (RTP:NYSE) was in dire straits… But that was only half the story. The rest I told to the exclusive membership of Taipan Insider. Now, as the mining industry continues to make the news, particularly with China Investment Corp,’s (CIC) announcement that it will focus on natural resource investments - rather than make more investments in the failing sectors of finance and real estate - I want to share the rest with you, because it will lead us up to the current situation.

So here’s your exclusive peek at Taipan Insider…

BHP Billiton (BHP:NYSE) is a leading miner in nearly every metal and mineral in the world, with global operations stretching from Mozambique to Peru… Just look at these statistics:

• 3rd largest copper producer
• 6th largest aluminum producer
• 3rd largest nickel producer
• 4th largest gold producer
• 2nd largest uranium producer
• 2nd largest zinc producer
• 4th largest coal producer

That’s a pretty stacked resume…

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Aside from copper and wine, Chile is home to some of the most amazing scenery in the world.

I should know… I spent seven hours hiking up one of Chile’s most well known sites: the Villarica Volcano.

It is THE attraction in Pucon, and, pardon my French, it kicked my ass.

We hiked up 1,300 meters, but actually walked seven kilometers to get to the top, and the crater was enormous, even though we could only see part of it. The really spectacular part was the views from the top. You can actually see four lakes, one being Lago Villarica, which I told you about in the last posting.

The views were absolutely amazing. Life-changing, almost.

It’s not hard to see why so many people flock to Pucon for this scenery.

Tomorrow, I leave bright and early for the next stop, Puerto Varas. It’s sort of the “next” Pucon, but with even more lakes. I’m due to arrive at about 2:00pm local time, and that’s where I’ll drop my next line.

Until then, enjoy this view from the top of Villarica…

There is no other way to describe it. Pucon means Villarica… With about 10,000 to 20,000 residents, Pucon turns into an absolute Mecca for adventurers in high season.

With vistas like this, how can it not?

Aside from tour companies offering everything from rafting to volcano climbing, supermarkets are probably the most common store in the town. Everything from small, local shops to big national chains, there’s places to buy food everywhere.

Most of the hostels here have a kitchen, so it’s a heck of a lot cheaper to make your own meals than eat out at a cafe every night. Continue Reading »