Tayler Neale

SPECIAL REPORT: The state’s gold industry is planning to invest more than $1 billion in exploration and development to sustain continued modest growth in production.

SPECIAL REPORT: WA’s 30 gold miners achieved a small increase in aggregate output last year with the state’s biggest producer, Newmont Mining, making up about a sixth of this at 1.1m ounces, research by Business News has found.

Reiwa has recently launched the reiwa.com app, which allows users to search for properties, find and compare local Reiwa agents, view home opens and shortlist their favourite properties and searches.

Ramelius Resources has launched a $59.2 million hostile takeover bid for exploration company Explaurum, which is aiming to develop its Tampia Hill gold project in the Wheatbelt.

Gold producer Resolute Mining has appointed Sabina Shugg as a non-executive director, while new data from the Australian Institute of Company Directors has revealed an uptick in female participation on ASX 200 boards.

The opening of Altura Mining’s Pilgangoora operation last week provides a good opportunity to evaluate the state of the local lithium industry.

Perth mining executive Michael Ruane is seeking a board spill at Empire Resources, less than two months after the gold miner was forced to restructure its board due to a push from a separate group of dissident shareholders.

ASX-listed Vicinity Centres has announced it will invest about $20 million across three Perth shopping centres as part of the second stage of its national solar power project.

Perth house prices have fallen for a fourth straight month, after registering a 0.6 per cent decline in August, according to the latest data from CoreLogic.

Geoff Ward has been appointed as chief executive of local tech company Hazer Group, while Michael Minosora is set to chair junior explorer Golden Deeps.

Northern Star Resources has announced the acquisition of a gold mine in Alaska for $US260 million ($347 million) from Japanese group Sumitomo, along with a $175 million share placement to fund the purchase.

Diversified miner Independence Group has reported a big jump in profit for the 2018 financial year, driven by the first 12 months of commercial production at its Nova operation.

The state government has shortlisted three consortiums to build and maintain 246 new railcars during the next decade, while choosing Bellevue as the preferred site for the associated manufacturing facility.

RCR Tomlinson has revealed the details of a $57 million write-down at one of its solar projects, with the contractor today announcing a $16.1 million loss for the 2018 financial year and a $100 million capital raising to help cover the cost overruns.

Shares in MMA Offshore have fallen today, after the marine logistics company forecast a challenging year ahead as part of its 2018 financial report, which also included a $36.3 million loss.

Macmahon Holdings has posted strong profit growth for the year to June, adding to a string of good results for local mining services companies, including Lycopodium and NRW Holdings.

Diversification helped Murray Engineering boost its revenue during the resources downturn, and the business is now hoping its technology focus will create future growth.

Bill Beament-led Northern Star Resources has reported a record profit for the 2018 financial year, driven by increased production and sales.

Local gold producers Saracen Mineral Holdings and Silver Lake Resources have announced solid growth in profits for the 2018 financial year, while Western Australia-focused St Barbara also registered a positive result.

Michael Fotios-led Eastern Goldfields has suspended its gold processing operations at Davyhurst, as the company completes a strategic review of its business and searches for a recapitalisation deal.

Shares in Western Areas have fallen more than 6 per cent today, after the nickel producer posted an $11.8 million net profit for the year to June but forecast a rise in costs in 2019.

The market has welcomed a strong annual profit report and positive outlook for Monadelphous, even though the engineering contractor has warned its construction revenue will fall after a big surge in work on the Ichthys LNG project in Darwin last financial year.

Seven West Media has swung to a full-year profit for the 2018 financial year, while also announcing a five-year extension to its long-standing program supply agreement with Prime Media Group.

Mining equipment company Imdex has attributed a big jump in revenue for the 2018 financial year to improved market conditions in the resources sector and growing interest in the company’s technology offerings.

The Corruption and Crime Commission has released its second damning report in less than a week, calling for criminal charges against a former Horizon Power IT manager, his business partner and his accountant.

The state’s unemployment rate has declined for a fourth straight month, after the economy added about 13,000 full-time jobs in July, according to the latest figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

Gold Road Resources has announced the retirement of long-standing chief executive Ian Murray, with former AngloGold Ashanti general manager Duncan Gibbs set to take the reins.

New land sales in Perth have increased for the third straight quarter, according to new data out today, with the Urban Development Institute of Australia WA saying the results reflect rising confidence in the local market.

Perth-based lenders Fair Go Finance and Capfin Money have announced plans to merge in a deal under which Frankfurt-listed MyBucks will sell a 60 per cent stake in the new entity to its former chief executive Tim Nuy.

Chris Ellison-led Mineral Resources has posted a big increase in profit to $272 million for the 2018 financial year, helped by a strong performance in the company’s mining services division.

Ausdrill has announced its first major acquisition since the retirement of founder Ron Sayers last month, with the company set to purchase mining services contractor Barminco in a cash and scrip deal worth $271.5 million, while also announcing a $250 million capital raising.

Suzanne Dodds puts much of her entrepreneurial success down to dogged persistence and an ability to remain focused when the pressure is on.