Newmont Mining Corp., the Denver gold and copper miner, reported third-quarter net income nearly tripled on 49% higher revenue . Earnings reached $645 million from $222 million in the year-earlier quarter . Net attributable to holders doubled to $388 million, or 79 cents a share, from $191 million, or 42 cents, a year earlier. Shares outstanding rose 7.9% to 491 million. Revenue rose to $2.05 billion from $1.37 billion. A survey of analysts by FactSet Research produced a consensus estimate of 67 cents a share. The company sold 1.3 million ounces of gold at an average $964 an ounce, and 64 million pounds of copper at an average $2.80. The cost of gold sales in the quarter fell 13% to $467 an ounce. Newmont now estimates that in 2009, it will sell about 5.2 million ounces of gold, the lower end of its previous expectations. And it expects that in 2010, gold production will rise 5% to 10% from 2009

Very good times for Gold producers!