Staff Reporters

Announced placement of a total of 2 million new shares at an issue price of 40 cents to raise $800,000 to UK-based institutional investor Fiske plc

The buoyant stock market and strong commodity prices have enabled a raft of Western Australian resource companies to raise additional capital this month for expansion projects.

ANDREW Frontino has been appointed a director of William Buck Business Advisors and Chartered Accountants after 10 years with the company.

Code: LRFIssue price: $1.01

Bayonet Investments Pty Ltd became a substantial shareholder with a relevant interest of  1,912,548 ordinary shares (5.2%).

FMR Corp increased its relevant interest from 9,073,791 ordinary shares (6.60%) to 10,283,060 ordinary shares (9.84%).

Has acquired a further 4,830,000 shares (17.7%) in Excalibur taking its holding to 53.7%.

All employer ETPs which are rolled over into superannuation from July 1 are preserved.http://ato.gov.au/distributor.asp?doc=/content/53387.htm

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THE Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has held up the sale of Joyce Corporation's foam business to Pacific Brands until at least next month.

Commonwealth Bank of Australia ceased to be a substantial shareholder.

Central Exchange Limited increased its relevant interest from 2,140,000 ordinary shares (5.495%) to 2,640,000 ordinary shares (6.779%).

A general meeting will be held in the Grand Ballroom, Burswood Convention Centre, Great Eastern Highway, Burswood, Western Australia on Friday 18 February 2005 at 10.00 am.

Bunbury building company Perkins Builders has landed more than $12 million in Western Australian Government projects in the past week.

Mindax Limited has changed its contact details to:Suite 9, 57 Labouchere Road

Excalibur Mining Corporation Ltd became a substantial shareholder with a relevant interest of  90,600,684 ordinary shares (9.15%).

Mathews Capital Partners increased its relevant interest to 6.078%.

4,000,000 fully paid ordinary shares will be released from escrow on 9 February 2005.

Has earned an option to participate in up to five wells to be drilled in Eagle Bay NL's PEL 182 in the Copper Basin.  Bounty can earn up to 5% in each well by contributing 10% to

An interest-free loan scheme has won the Australian Securities and Investments Commission's Pie in the Sky award.

THE seasonally adjusted value of residential construction activity in Western Australia increased by $1 million (0.1 per cent) to $807 million between the June and September quart

NAMAKWA Diamond Company has successfully applied for the Swartsand project, located between the towns of Springbok and Kleinzee, in South Africa.

Proposed code: SIMIssue price: $0.20Principal activities: Gold and base metal exploration.

Skin-Plex Laboratories Pty Ltd increased its relevant interest from 2,140,000 ordinary shares (5.495%) to 2,640,000 ordinary shares (6.779%).

St Barbara Mines Limited decreased its relevant interest from 382,219,338 ordinary shares (38.61%) to 161,254,367 ordinary shares (16.29%).