For the tale of the tape, the TSX Exchange fell 0.42%, while the TSX Gold Index was the big winner by jumping 2% and the TSX Venture Exchange, Canada’s largest junior exploration bourse, dropped 1.14% with the declining issuers beating out the advancers by a 570 to 302 margin on volume of 111 million shares traded.

It was a rough day for shareholders of Goldsource Mines (CVE:GXS) after the company reported that one hole returned 41.1 metres of coal, while another hit 6.7 metres and a third had no coal at the Border Property near Hudson Bay, Saskatchewan. Drilling is now complete until after freeze up. Goldsource ended the day at C$4.50, down C$1.38.

Shares of ATAC Resources (CVE:ATC) managed to gain C$0.02 to close at C$0.34 after reporting a 78.54 metre intercept running 1.71 grams gold per tonne at its wholly owned Rau property in the Keno Hill district of central Yukon.

Gateway Gold (TSE:GTQ) and Victoria Gold (CVE:VIT) are looking to merge in a transaction that would see Victoria acquire Gateway for 0.5 Victoria share for each Gateway share. At the end of the day, Victoria would have nearly 113 million shares outstanding. Gateway ended the day up C$0.01 at C$0.18, while Victoria added C$0.02 at C$0.36.

Anatolia Minerals Development (TSE:ANO) has been granted the forestry permit for its Copler gold mine project in Turkey. The permit is the final preconstruction permit needed. Anatolia ended the session up C$0.16 at C$2.32.

A notable lack of buyers is driving to junior bourse to new multi-year lows. We will see what Wednesday trading has in store.

Source: Resource Stock Roundup: Wednesday, August 20th, 2008