Zijin Mining Group, the second-largest gold miner in the Mainland, plans to double its capital expediture budget to more than 2 billion yuan this year to acquire overseas copper and gold mining projects, The Standard reported. Zijin is in talks to acquire overseas projects by partnering with local mining firms and taking majority control in the joint ventures. Chairman Chen Jinhe said Zijin, which had 1.17 billion yuan cash as at the end of June, has sufficient funds to acquire overseas projects. "We have revised upwards Zijin's 2006 earnings forecast by 30.7 percent due to higher prices of gold," said the paper, citing Bank of China International analyst Belle Chan said in a research note.