Mining

Rio Tinto, Apple and Alcoa have invested $C188 million ($195.5 million) to commercialise a new aluminium smelting process that reduces carbon emissions.

West Perth-based Latitude Consolidated has agreed to sell its Mt Ida gold project near Leonora to Alt Resources in a cash and scrip deal worth $2 million.

Artemis Resources has announced plans to sell its stake in Canadian joint venture partner Novo Resources for $20.7 million, with the proceeds set to be spent on exploration at the company’s conglomerate gold assets in the Pilbara.

State government revenue will be boosted by several policy measures announced today, including increased cost recovery from the mining, maritime and justice sectors, removal of the resource sector’s exemption from a training levy, and an increased levy on foreign property buyers.

KIN Mining has suspended construction at its $35 million Leonora gold project after a review by Como Engineers confirmed increases in pre-production capital costs.

Spanish-owned contractor Duro Felguera Australia, which is involved in multiple legal disputes arising from its work on big resources projects, has been ordered to set aside $20 million because of concerns it would not be able to pay potential claims.

West Perth-based Rox Resources has announced plans to spin-out its Mt Fisher gold project into a newly established company, Helios Gold, via an initial public offering.

Newcrest Mining has struck a preliminary farm-in deal with ABM Resources in relation to the Nedlands-based company’s Euro gold project in the Northern Territory.

Shares in West Africa-focused Azumah Resources soared today on the back of positive drilling results from its Wa gold project in Ghana.

Local contractor MACA has secured nearly $40 million of work, including contracts for Panoramic Resources and Sandfire Resources in Western Australia worth up to $12 million.

Gold miner Beadell Resources has raised $US23 million ($30 million) via a share placement and convertible debentures to fund an upgrade of its Tucano mine.

Scarborough-based West African Resources has tapped investors for $35 million via a capital raising to progress its Sanbrado gold project in Burkina Faso.

Former Fortescue Metals Group CEO Nev Power’s new career as a non-executive director has started with Perth Airport.

Local tech company Parkd has appointed Robert Freedman to its board, while former KPMG partner Andrea Hall has joined Automotive Holdings Group as a non-executive director and Panoramic Resources has announced the appointment of Nick Cernotta to its board.

Kwinana has been selected as the site for what is likely to be the fourth lithium refinery in Western Australia, with investment in the boom sector estimated to exceed $4 billion in the next few years.

Two Western Australian mining juniors focused on battery-related commodities have secured $50 million to advance their projects in Africa.

Aboriginal communities in Western Australia's Kimberley region have had their native title rights recognised over 12,050 square kilometre of land on the Dampier Peninsula, including James Price Point.

Subiaco-based Vital Metals has agreed to sell its tungsten project in Queensland to Tungsten Mining for a cash consideration of $15 million.

Ausdrill has announced plans to sell its telecommunications subsidiary to private group Powerlines Plus (now part of GenusPlus Group), while also agreeing to take a majority stake, along with other investors, in mining technology company HiSeis.

Peter Bilbe-led Adriatic Metals began trading on the ASX today, after the company raised $10 million via an initial public offering to fund exploration work at its Veovaca and Rupice projects in Europe.

Applecross-based Mineral Resources is looking to sell a 49 per cent stake in its Wodgina lithium project, as work to investigate the feasibility of a lithium hydroxide or carbonate processing plant at the site continues.

The banking royal commission’s exposure of shady practices will no doubt lead to calls for change, but perfect solutions are hard to find.

Former Rio Tinto chief executive Tom Albanese is facing fresh allegations related to the mining giant's disclosures about its disastrous $US4 billion African coal investment.

Two Perth-based contractors have secured new work, with Decmil Group locking in a $NZ24.3 million ($22.7 million) contract for two schools in New Zealand, while NRW Holdings will undertake work for Rio Tinto in the Pilbara.

Iron ore miner Rio Tinto is following its big investment in driverless trucks and trains by announcing plans to nearly double its fleet of autonomous drilling rigs.

More than $12 billion of mining projects are in the pipeline for WA and likely to proceed, with major iron ore developments the biggest contributor.

Few projects are more meaningful for WA’s economic direction than the Greenbushes lithium mine expansion and the new lithium refinery in Kwinana.

Eight mineral sands projects are either under construction or consideration as the sector finally enjoys some pricing relief.

Gold miner Northern Star Resources has posted a steady quarterly result, with the company confident it will hit its 2018 output target of 600,000 ounces per annum.

New Century Resources has raised $40 million to complete the restart of its zinc mine in Queensland, while Vimy Resources and Geopacific Resources have tapped investors for $6 million and $10 million respectively.

Emeco Holdings has made its fifth big acquisition in the past three years, acquiring Queensland-based Matilda Equipment for $80 million while also announcing a $90 million capital raising to fund the purchase.

West Perth-based Sandfire Resources has upgraded its mineral resource at the Degrussa copper mine, located 900 kilometres north-east of Perth, following a recent drilling program.