The Town of Port Hedland has voted to support BHP Billiton’s ambition to ship out an extra 5 million tonnes of iron ore a year from the port, as the mining giant pushes for a licence to ship 290mtpa by the 2019 financial year.
Premier Mark McGowan has gently chided the mining and energy sector, saying it needs to lift support for local manufacturing, apprentice training and local employment.
Perth explorer Orinoco Gold has announced plans to buy out its joint venture partners at the Cascavel mine for $US6.3 million in cash and shares, while both its managing director and chairman have tendered their resignation.
Mount Gibson Iron will spend nearly $100 million on the redevelopment of its Koolan Island iron ore mine, with the company’s board giving the green light to bring the operation out of care and maintenance.
Aspiring lithium miner Tawana Resources has raised $15 million from investors to fund ongoing development of its Bald Hill project in the Goldfields, a day after signing a $25 million offtake deal for the operation.
Bligh Resources has recommended shareholders vote in favour of an improved takeover offer by Zeta Resources, having previously backed an acquisition proposal by Saracen Mineral Holdings for its Bundarra gold project.
OPINION: A worldwide shake-up of the fertiliser industry may play out in WA, according to the investment bank, which has been watching Wesfarmers’ CSBP division.
Neometals will be relying on third-party interest for the sale of its stake in the Mt Marion lithium mine, after joint venture partners Mineral Resources and Jiangxi Ganfeng Lithium declined pre-emptive rights to buy the stake.
BHP Billiton has cut its full-year copper production guidance and outlined plans to sell some of its US shale acreage, while also announcing record iron ore production and reaffirming plans for its South Flank development in the Pilbara.
Ausdrill-Barminco joint venture African Underground Mining Services has won a $US280 million ($A373 million) contract to provide its services to Newmont Mining’s Subika underground gold operation in Ghana.
Nearly 4,000 shareholders in West Perth company Moly Mines have effectively become stranded in the $63 million cashbox after a stand-off between its board and the ASX ended in a delisting of its stock.
The Chinese company angling to buy a 50 per cent stake in the Kalgoorlie super pit has reportedly dropped the $US1.3 billion bid due to more rigid Chinese controls on capital outflows, while its bid to buy Southern Cross gold mine owner Hanking Australia has been completed.
Mining giant Rio Tinto has made a sluggish start to the year, with first-quarter shipments and production of iron ore affected by bad weather in Western Australia.
The dramatic fall in the price of iron ore since the start of March could punch a $1.4 billion hole in the state’s finances in the next financial year.
Investment group Zeta Resources has announced plans to make an all-cash takeover offer for gold-focused Bligh Resources, competing with Saracen Mineral Holdings which had agreed to buy the target’s core asset in February.
Dacian Gold has formally awarded GR Engineering Services a $107.1 million contract to build processing infrastructure at its Mt Morgans gold project near Laverton.
Lithium Australia is pushing ahead with its takeover plans for Lepidico, extending the deadline by two weeks despite only a small portion of the target’s shareholders taking up the offer so far.
Northern Minerals plans to spend $56 million developing a pilot plant for its Browns Range heavy rare earths project in Halls Creek, with first production expected next year.
Shares in mineral sands miner MZI Resources were higher on news one of the company’s existing offtake partners had agreed to take additional leucoxene product from its Keysbrook mine near Serpentine.
Eastern Goldfields has announced a $28 million capital raising and share sale facility as it works towards commissioning of its Davyhurst gold operation near Kalgoorlie.
South32 has scrapped its $US200 million purchase of a NSW coking coal mine after deciding against making what it called significant concessions to gain approval from the competition watchdog.
A day after the Takeovers Panel put restrictions on the voting power of a group of shareholders in Indiana Resources, the same group has withdrawn plans to seek a board restructure vote at an upcoming general meeting.
A local subsidiary of South African company Murray & Roberts is set to be awarded an underground mining services contract for Dacian Gold’s Mt Morgans project near Laverton.
Contractor Indigenous Construction Resource Group has suffered two setbacks, with its half-owned joint venture ICRG North expected to go into liquidation owing creditors about $4 million.
