Rare earth minerals.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/markets/8232346/Rare-Earth-Minerals-333pc-rise-after-name-change-puts-Aim-under-fresh-scrutiny.html

http://www.halifaxmarketwatch.co.uk/security.cgi?username=&ac=&csi=112478&record_search=1&search_phrase=REM

Classic boiler room scam imo.

If you want exposure to a small rare earth company try

Rare Earth Metals (TSX:RA). These lot actually own the rights to a property, unlike the clowns above. Valued at $36 million with $7 mill in cash and no debt.

Whippet,
Could you have a look at silver dragon resources?
I don't know anything about Tonaquint Inc and would be worried about their plans.
Share price seems quite low at present.

Reading about Tonaquint sounds like silver dragon are caught by the short & curlies. Maybe silvercorp would be a better choice but feels like I've missed the boat with them.

In all honesty, I doubt you have missed the boat on anything. Silver is going to be a lot, lot higher than $36 in 10 years (in fact most commodities will be). Simply buying any company that is set to start producing within the next few years will produce handsome returns.

As for the above deal, Tonaquint do seem to have them by the balls. I would avoid anything like that.

Take a look at fortuna silver mines. I reckon they could be pretty big in south america. Currently producing from one mine, and set to open another this year. Plus they have a few other properties that haven't been fully explored yet. Definitely going to be a multi bagger over the coming years.

As for smaller mining companiess - I like the look of HER - Chile, Zn/Ag/Au/Cu, set to start producing within 24 months, sitting on potentially large resources, just agreed a new deal for a 70% stake in a potentially massive gold resource. Should be a multibagger without a doubt over the next few years.

not invested in this one but been watching it for a while: Lynas  ASX: LYC, or it has a US ADR: LYSDY
about to go into production this year

don't see the appeal in silver, has the makings of a bubble with a fairly limited upside in that you might get a double in the odd good year but long term the returns have been average, price increases reduces it's industrial appeal and the rest is just speculation. Plenty of other commodities that have genuine value. Each to their own though.

How is it a bubble? When people down the pub start telling you they have invested, that is when there might be a bubble. That hasn't even happened with gold yet, let alone silver. How many people do you know that own silver or gold?

More speculation, but would it be fair to say that the US has more to lose than gain from a silver surge, even though they control many of the mines in South American and Mexico? Lynas looks an interesting one and may add them as a cover for risky punts on chinese owned silver mines.

Whippet, blokes down the pub are investing though, my brother was telling me the other week about someone he hardly knew going on about his bullion stash at home. to a lot of people silver is more attractive for it's lower buy in price.
I remember in 2008 when it was being heavily marketed on talkback radio and the like as a recession safety play and it then halved in value overnight, must have wiped out anyone in on those leveraged schemes.
it seems to bubble (and they get incrementally bigger) and burst every 2 or 3 years lately and obviously someone's making a killing but don't assume it will go up at this rate forever.  inherent value, yield and a generally shady industry (and even the physical carries risk and hefty fees) makes it unappealing to me but money can be made from anything if you play it right, good luck with it.

article on Lynas from today's NY Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/09/business/energy-environment/09rare.html?_r=2&hp

A major concern with Lynas is that adequate materials could be synthesised in the future saving money and without the need for radioactive waste.

LYC
March 4  $2.28
March 15 $1.75
March 31 $2.28

Europe about to run out of Rare Earths.

this company look a right joke was about 1.03p a share when posted traded around 0.5p yesterday.

Stick with Rare Element Resources for a short term play on the Rare Earth scramble.  It's got a Gold kicker as well.