Mining

Base Resources has announced that it will purchase a mineral sands project in Madagascar for $US75 million ($100 million) and tap investors for $100 million to fund the acquisition.

Osborne Park-based planning services company Veris has been awarded a contract with Cross Yarra Partnership for up to $100 million across 10 years to deliver early survey works for the Metro Tunnel Project in Victoria.

BHP Billiton will remain a member of the Minerals Council of Australia for now but has decided to exit the World Coal Association over differences in climate and energy policy.

Mining contractor Macmahon Holdings has announced that Giles Everist is moving from a non-executive director role to become the company's chief financial officer.

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The number of workers on big projects in Western Australia is likely to stabilise at just one quarter of the peak level recorded during the mining construction boom, and that's only if planned projects get approved, a new study has found.

Aspiring gold miner KIN Mining has tapped investors for $10 million as the company increases exploration work at its Leonora project in the Goldfields region.

Rio Tinto will increase the number of unmanned autonomous haul trucks it uses in the Pilbara by more than 50 per cent as part of a $500 million productivity drive in its iron ore business.

One-time WA iron ore miner Moly Mines, which was delisted from the ASX early this year with nearly 4,000 shareholders and $63 million in the bank, has struck a deal to buy copper stock Queensland Mining Corporation.

Mineral Resources has disclosed that its planned lithium processing projects in the Pilbara will cost in excess of $600 million to build, with managing director Chris Ellison also revealing ambitions for more downstream processing projects.

National Australia Bank says it will stop lending for new thermal coal mining projects, becoming the first major Australian bank to phase out support for the sector.

Perth-based CITIC Pacific Mining has hit its 2017 production target of 15 million tonnes of magnetite concentrate at its Sino Iron project in the Pilbara, while also releasing a study that shows spending of $51 billion in Western Australia over the next 40 years.

Listed company Mineral Commodities has signed a memorandum of understanding to assess the use of Doral's fused alumina plant in Kwinana for downstream processing of natural flake graphite from its proposed mine in WA's great southern region.

Pilbara Minerals has announced multiple changes to its Pilgangoora lithium project, with the company planning to: spend an extra $50 million on development; export unprocessed ore to boost early cash flow; and outsource ore crushing to Mineral Resources.

Plymouth Minerals has tapped investors for $6.5 million through a strongly supported share placement to develop its San Jose lithium project in Spain.

Iluka Resources has approved its $275 million Cataby mineral sands project, which is set to provide 250 construction jobs, after securing offtake agreements for 85 per cent of production from the deposit.

The latest insolvency statistics indicate that the mining industry shake-out is slowing, with a significant decline in insolvencies in recent months for the industry compared with 2016.

A joint venture between Njamal Services and Pilbara Resource Group has secured a 12-month labour contract with BGC Contracting at the Mt Webber iron ore mine in the Pilbara.

Aspiring minerals sands miner Sheffield Resources has signed an offtake agreement with a Chinese processor for more than half the zircon concentrate produced at its planned $348 million Thunderbird project near Derby.

Finders Resources has received the backing of some high-profile Perth investors in its opposition to a hostile takeover offer, with Euroz's Tim Lyons, billionaire Ralph Sarich and Brettney Fogarty among a list of shareholders to have indicated they will not accept the 23-cents-a-share bid.

A joint venture between engineering groups Downer and Ausenco has secured an engineering, procurement and construction contract for OZ Minerals' Carrapateena copper gold project in South Australia.

The Environmental Protection Authority has recommended conditional approval for Tellus Holdings to develop a clay mine and waste storage facility at its proposed Sandy Ridge project in the Goldfields.

The environmental watchdog has given the green light for BHP Billiton's planned 80 million tonnes per annum South Flank iron ore development, with first ore targeted in 2021.

BGC Contracting announced today that it has been awarded two contracts with mining giant BHP Billiton at its Pilbara iron ore facilities.

Belmont-based Zenith Energy has signed a power purchase agreement to build a 15-megawatt power station at Gascoyne Resources' Dalgaranga gold project.

The joint owners of the Tropicana gold mine have approved spending of $48 million to underpin a new mining strategy that will see waste material from new pits tipped back into the original open pit mine, delivering increased production and a longer mine life.

Finders Resources' second-largest largest shareholder, Taurus Funds Management, has rejected a 23-cents-a-share bid for the copper miner by Indonesian group Eastern Field Developments.

Byrnecut executive chairman Steve Coughlan has slammed the state government's decision to crack down on payroll tax exemptions, saying his company will no longer receive the exemption for courses being undertaken by 1,200 employees.

West Perth-based Gascoyne Resources has secured a $60 million debt facility with two major Australian banks as it aims for its Dalgaranga gold project to be in production in mid-2018.

Dutch company KOTUG and local subcontractor Westug have been selected to provide towage services for Fortescue Metals Group at Port Hedland, 18 months after the iron ore miner won a tender that broke BHP Billiton's monopoly at the port.

Incitec Pivot has warned that its 2020 and 2021 full-year profits will be hit by the end of a contract to supply ammonium nitrate prill to mining giant BHP Billiton.

Aspiring gold miner KIN Mining has signed a binding term sheet for a $35 million debt package with Canada-based Sprott Private Resource Lending.