Fraser Beattie

Pluton Resources says its major shareholder General Nice Resources has appointed KordaMentha as the company’s receivers, after secured creditor Rizhao Port Group Logistics yesterday tried to appoint representatives from FTI Consulting to the same role.

Education provider Navitas says a rising number of foreigners are pretending to be students to get visas.

Pluton Resources is in the midst of a battle between creditors, with major shareholder General Nice Resources and secured creditor Rizhao Port Group Logistics fighting over who gets to appoint receivers to the iron ore miner.

Mining and civil engineering firm MACA announced today that it had won $47.9 million worth of project contracts from Main Roads WA and mining giant Rio Tinto in the past three months.

Regis Resources has shown signs of improvement with increased quarterly gold production and lower costs, in both cases delivering a better outcome than the company's own guidance.

Legacy Iron Ore founding director Sharon Heng has resigned after a board review of financial transactions during the past three years found Ms Heng owed the firm about $868,000.

Shares in Kimberley Diamonds closed 25 per cent higher today after the company announced it had entered into a subscription agreement to raise $4.37 million from a Chinese institutional investor.

Perth looks set to have its own indoor skydiving facility after Sydney-based leisure firm Indoor Skydive Australia announced it had signed an offer to lease a block of land in Belmont to construct a 4.2-metre vertical wind tunnel.

Melbourne-based nickel explorer PLD Corporation has signed an option agreement to buy collapsed miner Kagara’s Admiral Bay zinc project in the Canning Basin for a cash and shares package worth up to $7 million.

A solid lift in sales at Coles supermarkets and hardware chain Bunnings have pushed Wesfarmers' latest quarterly retail sales above $13.5 billion.

The new underground Perth Busport will be delivered on time and $40 million under budget, Transport Minister Dean Nalder says.

White Star Resources has gained backing from Perth businessmen Rod Jones and Brent Stewart, who plan to invest in a $4 million capital raising to support the acquisition of Spookfish and Geospatial Investments.

Rules are costing Western Australians $37 billion every year and an average of eight hours a week complying with self-imposed red tape, a new Deloitte report has found.

Ausdrill non-executive director Wal King has resigned from his role just three years after joining the company.

Liberty Resources has announced its intention to exit the mining industry by entering into an option agreement to acquire local IT firm Cirrus Networks for an undisclosed amount.

Fortescue Metals Group chairman Andrew Forrest has been appointed to the Art Gallery of Western Australia’s board.

Jolimont-based gold explorer RMG says it will buy its joint venture partner Chile Metals Consulting’s 25 per cent interest in the Tuina copper project in South America for a share package worth $2.4 million.

The founders of Canning Vale-based contractor Tasman Power have agreed to sell the business to Adelaide company E&A for $12.1 million.

Antares Energy has sold its Southern Star project to US-based Breitburn Energy Partners for a $152 million cash and share package, after spending the past 14 months attempting to offload its Permian Basin asset.

Cash Converters International is considering more acquisitions after an increase in personal loans and sales in its company-owned pawnbroking stores helped lift the quarterly revenue by more than a quarter.

Peak Resources says it has received an investment proposal from International Finance Corporation, which wants to join a consortium with Appian Natural Resources Fund in its $US25 million funding deal.

BHP Billiton bosses have made a strong sales pitch regarding the company's proposed demerger, telling shareholders in London they'd benefit from the next step in the big miner's "evolution".

Rio Tinto chief executive officer Sam Walsh and chief financial officer Chris Lynch have both had their contracts with the mining giant extended to open-ended tenures.

Shareholders have taken up just one third of new shares offered by troubled rare earths miner Lynas Corporation in its effort to raise $71 million.

Mining and civil engineering firm MACA has received a letter of intent to provide mining services to Beadell Resources’ Tucano gold project in Brazil, with the value of the deal yet to be finalised.

The federal government has made sweeping red tape cuts to save time consumed by paperwork as small and medium businesses grow more confident about the year ahead, but a growing number believes the state government is working against their best interests, according to the latest Sensis survey.

Work has commenced on a new $124.6 million advanced water recycling plant at Craigie, which could supply up to 20 per cent of Perth’s drinking water needs by 2060.

Silver Lake Resources has entered into a binding heads of agreement with a private consortium for the sale of its Lakewood Mill near Kalgoorlie for $5.5 million.

Western Australian Environment Minister Albert Jacob has granted Northern Minerals approval of its proposed Browns Range rare earths project near Halls Creek.

Former Western Australian chief justice David Kingsley Malcolm achieved a lot during his 18 years in the role, and will be remembered as a kind and patient man by those who knew him.

Shares in Perth-based gold explorer Talisman Mining have surged more than 70 per cent after the company announced it had entered into a binding agreement for Swiss-based Glencore’s Sinclair nickel project in the Goldfields for $10 million.

Kingsgate Consolidated announced today that chief executive Geoff Day and chief financial officer Austen Perrin have both left the company, just months after joining the gold miner.