Exhibit 10.17
                           AURORA METALS (BVI) LIMITED

P.O.Box 27494,                                           Telephone: 303-727-8609
Denver, Colorado,                                      Facsimile:   303-936-0333
U.S.A. 80227-0494.                                  E-mail: jaajames@comcast.net


September 20, 2004

Mr. Thomas A. Loucks,
President and CEO,
Trend Mining Company,
5575 South Syracuse Street, Suite 103
Littleton,
Colorado, USA 80120

Dear Tom,

LETTER OF INTENT - PROPOSED JOINT VENTURE - STILLWATER COMPLEX, MONTANA

Further to our recent discussions, Aurora Metals (BVI) Limited (hereafter "AM")
herewith proposes with this Letter of Intent ("LOI"), the establishment of a
joint venture agreement with Trend Mining Company (hereafter "Trend") to explore
and develop certain claims held under two (2) lease agreements by AM (the
"Property") in the Stillwater Complex, Stillwater and Sweet Grass Counties,
Montana.  The terms of this offer are subject to the Boards of Directors of AM
and Trend and relevant regulatory authorizations.

The terms of the proposed joint venture arrangement follow:

1.   EXPLORATION EXPENDITURES

     Trend shall expend, as a minimum, the following annual and cumulative
     exploration expenditures on the Property:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                 YEAR   ANNUAL EXPENDITURE   CUMULATIVE EXPENDITURE
                              ($US)                  ($US)
<S>                     <C>                  <C>
                   1          100,000                100,000
                   2          400,000                500,000
                   3          500,000               1,000,000
                   4          500,000               1,500,000
                   5          500,000               2,000,000
                 TOTAL       2,000,000
</TABLE>

2.   PAYMENTS

     At closing, Trend shall issue 50,000 shares of Trend's common stock to AM.
     Thereafter, to keep the joint venture agreement in good standing:


<PAGE>
TREND - LETTER OF INTENT          Page 2 of 5                 SEPTEMBER 20, 2004

     (i)  on the first anniversary date, Trend shall pay $20,000 in cash, and
          issue 20,000 shares of Trend's common stock to AM; and

    (ii)  on the second and subsequent anniversary dates, Trend shall issue
          $20,000  in  cash  or  the  equivalent  value  in Trend's common stock
          determined  by  the  average  stock  price  over the previous calendar
          month.

3.   JOINT VENTURE

     Trend shall earn a fifty (50%) percent participating interest in the
     Property after completion of the exploration expenditures and payments to
     AM as outlined above. Trend shall have no participating interest unless and
     until it has completed the exploration expenditures and payments to AM as
     outlined above.

4.   OPERATOR

     Trend shall be the Operator from closing and until completion of the
     exploration expenditures.

5.   OVERHEAD AND MANAGEMENT FEES

     The operator shall have the right to charge five percent (5%) of
     exploration expenditures, excluding property payments, taxes and/or fees to
     maintain the Property, to cover overhead and management costs. Such
     overhead and management charges shall qualify as exploration expenditures.

6.   MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE

     The parties shall establish a Management Committee to develop overall
     policies and objectives. The Management Committee shall comprise one member
     appointed by AM and one appointed by Trend, each with an equal vote. In the
     event of a deadlock, the Operator shall have the deciding vote.

7.   PROGRAMS AND BUDGETS

     The Operator shall prepare proposed programs and budgets covering up to one
     year and submit same to the Management Committee for approval. The
     Management Committee shall have thirty (30) days to review and approve, or
     request modifications thereto, of said programs and budgets.

8.   UNDERLYING AGREEMENTS

     The joint venture will be subject to the terms and conditions of two (2)
     underlying agreements, the Mountain View Lease Agreement and the Basal Zone
     Agreement, to which AM is a signatory.


<PAGE>
TREND - LETTER OF INTENT          Page 3 of 5                 SEPTEMBER 20, 2004

9.   EXCLUSIONS

     Specific exclusions from the claims and areas covered by the Property are
     the "G" and "H" chromite seams under the Mountain View Lease Agreement and
     the nickel-copper mineralization in the Nye Basin under the Basal Zone
     Lease Agreement. AM shall have the right to explore the excluded claims and
     areas in its own right. In the event that AM seeks finance to develop the
     excluded claims and areas, Trend shall have the right to submit an offer
     for participation therein.

10.  TRANSFER OF INTEREST

     In the event that one party decides to encumber or sell its interest to a
     third party, not including a transfer to an affiliate, the non-selling
     participant shall have the right to purchase the seller's interest on terms
     no less advantageous to those offered by the third party, or for cash where
     there is a cash component.

11.  FUTURE FINANCING

     The parties shall have the right to participate in future financings pro
     rata with their respective percentage interests at the time.

12.  ACCESS

     AM will ensure that Trend has quiet access to the Property for the
     performance of the agreed programs.

13.  TIMING

     This LOI will expire at 5:00 PM Mountain Standard Time, Friday November 19,
     2004, unless otherwise agreed by the parties


In terms of process, it is anticipated that a joint venture agreement will be
reached, subject to approvals by the boards of both parties and satisfying
regulatory requirements.  AM and Trend will jointly approve the contents of any
news releases relating to the joint venture and ensure simultaneous release
under their respective names.

The parties will have eighty-eight (88) days, until 5:00 PM Mountain Standard
Time on Friday, December 17, 2004, to complete a binding joint venture
agreement.  Failure to complete and sign the agreement by the nominated date
will result in termination of the proposed arrangement, unless otherwise agreed
by the parties.


<PAGE>
TREND - LETTER OF INTENT          Page 4 of 5                 SEPTEMBER 20, 2004

If you are in agreement with the terms of this LOI, please so indicate by
completing a copy of the attached signature page, and return same to the
undersigned.


Yours sincerely,
AURORA METALS (BVI) LIMITED,

/s/ J.A.A. James
----------------
J.A.A. James,
President and Director


<PAGE>
TREND - LETTER OF INTENT          Page 5 of 5                 SEPTEMBER 20, 2004



              AURORA METALS (BVI) LIMITED AND TREND MINING COMPANY
                                LETTER OF INTENT

                                 SIGNATURE PAGE



Agreed and acknowledged this 20th day of September 2004 on behalf of Trend
Mining Company:


/s/ Thomas A Loucks                          September 20, 2004
-------------------                          ------------------
Signature                                           Date


President and CEO
-----------------
Name and Title