Junior roundup: Ecometals, Li3, Strait Gold, U3O8, Oro Silver, Oroco, Xtierra

Toronto-based Ecometals (TSX-V: EC) reported it has entered into an agreement to sell its 90% stakes in Ecuadorian subsidiaries Condormining and Condorview to private Canadian company Alca Gold for US$9.0mn in cash.
The two subsidiaries hold the mineral rights, surface rights and physical assets of the Cóndor gold project in southern Ecuador. The remaining 10% stakes are controlled by a military affiliated office of Ecuador's government.
Ecometals will keep working at its Río Zarza exploration project in Ecuador and Serra do Navio manganese and Pedra Branca gold projects in Brazil.
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Lima-based Li3 Energy (OTC BB: LIEG) has engaged Argentine mining consultants Rojas & Asociados as project manager for upcoming lithium exploration programs in Chile, Argentina and Peru, both firms reported.
Li3 aims to evaluate 15 lithium properties covering some 200,000 acres (80,937ha) with sampling, geophysics and drilling. The goal is to reach the preliminary economic assessment stage at priority targets by end-2010.
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Toronto's Strait Gold (TSX-V: SRD) has closed the second and final tranche of a private placement for total proceeds of Cdn$541,900 (US$520,713), which it will use for working capital and to fund exploration at its Alicia copper-gold property in Cuzco, Peru, the company reported.
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Torontonian U3O8 Corp (TSX-V: UWE) reported it has identified key geological and chemical characteristics for uranium upon analyzing a historic bore hole from Guyana's Roraima Basin.
From the bore hole and airborne geophysical data U3O8 has defined additional exploration targets where the aim is to identify drill targets for testing in 2010, the company said in a statement.
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Vancouver-based Oro Silver Resources (TSX-V: OSR) has completed its earn-in acquisition of a 100% interest in the Ana Camila claim group adjacent to its El Compás gold-silver project in Mexico's Zacatecas state, the company said in a statement.
Ana Camila measures 320ha and covers the 500m northern extension of the El Compás gold-silver vein system, Oro said.
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The latest results from phase 2 drilling at Vancouverite Oroco Resource's (TSX-V: OCO) Cerro Prieto project in Mexico's Sonora state include 22.5m of 4.36g/t gold, 26.0m of 2.96g/t gold and 19.0m of 2.99g/t gold, all in infill holes.
Results from step out holes include 61.0m of 0.20g/t gold including 7.8m of 0.55g/t gold.
Oroco drilled 8,576m in 42 diamond holes in 2009. The holes also yielded silver, lead and zinc mineralization.
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Toronto's Xtierra (TSX-V: XAG) reported it has begun drilling on the El Dorado gold project in Mexico's Zacatecas state. Tecmin Servicios is carrying out the drill program, which initially contemplates 2,000m of underground and surface work.