The state government says it will order work to stop at any BHP Billiton mines where workplace breaches are found, after five recent deaths at the company's Pilbara iron ore sites.
Minara Resources chairman Peter Coates will take over from current Santos chairman Stephen Gerlach when he retires from the board at the end of this year.
The Western Australian government is the best performing state government in the country in the eyes of the small business community, according to the MYOB Australian Small Business Survey.
Perth property values have bucked the slight upward national trend, with the median value of houses dipping 1 per cent in the three months to the end of February.
Wyllie Group chairman Lee Verios will chair property developer Port Bouvard as part of a restructure that has seen the appointment of joint chief executives, Matthew Perrott and John Wroth.
Babcock and Brown Power has finalised the sale of its 70 per cent interest in the NewGen Kwinana power station, with details of the settlement pending performance of the station in the second half of the financial year.
Shares in Equinox Minerals have closed higher on the back of a $US173 million ($A254 million) net income for the 2008 calendar year and a favourable restructure of its debt repayments.
Confidencce in the Western Australian rural sector has bucked the national trend and risen slightly, although levels are still well below the near record highs of last year, according to the latest Rabobank survey.
China Minmetals' proposed takeover of OZ Minerals cannot go ahead if it incudes the target's mining operations in Prominent Hill because it would breach national security, Treasurer Wayne Swan says.
Patersons Securities will takeover the broking arm of Tolhurst whose shareholders today agreed to sell the business for $2 million, well below the figures originally mooted for the deal.
Aquarius Platinum plans to raise $260 million through a placement and rights issue, with part of the funds to be used for its acquisition of Ridge Mining.
Tolhurst Group has unveiled that its stockbroking business will be sold for some $2 million to Patersons Securities, in what is a dramatic fall on the value of the deal after it was revealed earlier this year.
Ramelius Resources says funds from a successful $13.4 million raising will be applied towards expansion works at its Wattle Dam gold operation in Western Australia.
One of the country's largest employer groups says the Senate's change to the small business threshold to 20 is both reasonable and necessary and should be accepted by the government.
The Terry Streeter-backed Fox Resources has launched a $6 million all-scrip takeover of junior explorer Hannans Reward to increase its spread of iron ore and nickel assets in Western Australia.
The state government is expected to formally approve the $3.5 billion Oakajee port and rail project that is vital to mining developments in the Mid West region.
Junior iron ore producer Atlas Iron has signed the last of its available iron ore into a long-term offtake agreement with an unidentified Chinese steel mill.
West Perth-based miner Kagara has revised down its annual zinc production target as it restarts trucking operations after heavy rainfalls in Queensland.
The Rudd government will introduce new laws to curb excessive termination payments for executives, amid community concern about high "golden handshakes" given to departing company heads.
Nexus Energy has placed its Crux oil project on hold and extended a voluntary suspension of its shares as the company seeks funding after an asset sale process fell through.
Azure Minerals has raised just over $1 million through a renounceable rights issue with shareholders subscribing to around one-third of shares on offer.
Three Western Australian resource companies are today on the hunt for capital with trading of shares in both Otto Energy and Eleckra Mines halted and Berkeley Resources unveiling plans to raise $10 million.
Independence Group executive director Kelly Ross has sold $771,757 worth of shares, with funds from the sale to go to the tax man after the conversion of some options.
Congestion at Port Hedland Inner Habour is expected to ease mid next year as construction work officially starts on the new, $225 million public access berth at Utah Point.
The friendly merger between Scimitar Resources and Jackson Minerals has been deemed to be in the best interest of the latter's shareholders following an independent valuation.
Belmont-based property developer Diploma Group has booked an interim net profit of $941,000, a dramatic fall from the previous corresponding period's profit of $4.8 million.
