Cameron Drummond

Cash Converters has acquired four franchised stores in Victoria and one in New South Wales for approximately $4 million dollars, inclusive of $1.8 million in assets, bringing the total number of corporate-owned stores in Australia to 61.

William Dolphin has agreed to step down as chief executive of biotech company Avita Medical, and Dalton Gooding has resigned after announcing his intention to do so at the company's annual general meeting in November.

New Standard Energy plans to diversify its interests in the oil and gas sector by completing a farm-in agreement in the Cooper Basin in South Australia and acquiring 5,182 acres in a Texas oil shale asset.

Perth-based Kogi Iron has released indicated resource estimates of 466 million tonnes at 41.4 per cent iron at its Agbaja iron ore project in Nigeria, with an overall resource increase of 20 per cent.

Perth-based explorer Musgrave Minerals’ share price has spiked up 40 per cent after releasing drilling results at the company's Deering Hills project in northern South Australia.

Perth-based gold miner West African Resources has gained approval from shareholders of Canadian-based Channel Resources to combine the two companies for further expansion of gold projects in Burkina Faso.

Cassini Resources has resolved a share sale agreement to acquire 75 per cent of Crossbow Resources, the 100 per cent owner of the West Arunta X17 project in the Gibson Desert.

Shares in Perth-based gold mining junior Minera Gold have risen by 25 per cent after the company signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) with a private Peruvian entity to utilise a 200 tonne-per-day CIP gold circuit for its Torrecillas gold project in Peru.

Perth-based oil explorer Oilex has announced it has secured a $13.5 million three year equity financing facility with UK-based Darwin Strategic, for drilling at its Cambay onshore oil joint venture project in Gujarat, India.

Base Resources is set to increase its working capital for the ramp-up of its Kwale mineral sands project in Kenya by a further $US25 million up to a total debt facility of $US215 million.

Tangiers Petroleum is to acquire Jacka Resources via a friendly off-market takeover bid, combining to create an Africa-focused upstream oil and gas company valued at about $80 million.

Pura Vida Energy has made further progress for its African offshore oil projects, and announced a placement raising $13.5 million.

South Perth company Brighton Mining Group has announced plans to acquire Indonesian manganese miner Asia Minerals Corporation, which is led by Perth mining entrepreneur Michael Kiernan and counts another South Perth company, Gulf Mines, as a substantial shareholder.

The IronClad Mining and Trafford Resources' Wilcherry Hill iron ore joint venture project is progressing, with a modified development plan sent to the South Australian government receiving a tick of approval.

Austal has agreed to sell its former satellite service base at Henderson to AME Offshore Solutions for $21 million, with the proceeds being used to reduce debt.

Local councils, church groups and charities around Australia have reached a conditional settlement of their claim for roughly $180 million in damages lost on investments sold to them by Lehman Brothers Australia.

ERM Power's Kent Quinlan has been seconded to the role of interim chief executive at Empire Oil & Gas as they look to permanently fill the role in the near future.

Shares in Perth-based IT service provider ASG Group have risen nearly 18 per cent after chairman Ronald Baxter released upgraded earnings guidance today.

Decmil has been awarded a $37.5 million contract for the design and construction of diesel fuel infrastructure at Hancock Prospecting's Roy Hill project in the Pilbara.

China-based Shandong Gold looks set to secure board control at Focus Minerals, after acting chief executive and chairman Don Taig announced his intention to resign from the company.

Doray Minerals has officially opened its Andy Well gold project in the northern Murchison region, at a ceremony hosted by mines and petroleum minister Bill Marmion.

The state government will retrospectively amend its land tax legislation after a court ruling broadened the potential for property developers to obtain an exemption.

Sino Gas & Energy has taken advantage of a strong rally in its share price, reaching an agreement to raise $53 million at 20 cents per share, to progress development of its coal seam gas assets in China’s Ordos Basin.

Independence Group has downsized forecasted quarterly gold production at its part-owned Tropicana gold mine, after producing first gold within budget and ahead of schedule.

Perth-based Hazelwood Resources will look to raise up to $7 million to accelerate production at the ATC ferrotungsten joint venture facility in Vietnam, in which it has a 60 per cent stake.

Premier and science minister Colin Barnett has praised the efforts of the state's scientists and others in the field, at the Western Australian Science Awards ceremony last night.

The Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Western Australia has forecast that the state's shoppers will spend $3.55 billion in December.

Junior oil and gas company Pura Vida Energy has named Jeff Dowling as its new chairman and Ric Malcolm as a non-executive director, with current chairman Bevan Tarratt to resign from the board.

The Australian Institute of Company Directors has released its bi-annual Director Sentiment Index survey showing confidence of Australian directors about business and the future of the economy has improved since the election of the Abbott government.

Perth-based Paladin Energy is persisting with negotiations on the sale of a minority stake in its Langer Heinrich uranium mine in Namibia, and has assured shareholders it will give them an update by the end of the month.

Northern Star Resources has weathered a fluctuating gold market with low costs and strong profits, and is looking forward to new acquisition opportunities, chairman Chris Rowe announced at its annual general meeting today.

Amcom chairman Tony Grist told the company's annual meeting today it was well placed to deliver another year of double digit percentage growth in underlying net profit after tax.