Mining

Programmed Maintenance Services is among five companies to be added to the S&P/ASX200 in changes to the market indices set to occur after market close on December 18.

Former Atlas Iron managing director Ken Brinsden has joined a budding lithium producer that will pay less than half his old salary, even though the company has a market cap five times that of his old employer.

Talisman Mining, Evolution Mining and Kalgoorlie Consolidated Gold Mines are among a number of miners to win state government exploration grants, with gold, nickel and copper the most popular commodities targeted.

The first shipment of iron ore from Gina Rinehart's $10 billion Roy Hill project has been delayed because of commissioning and safety issues.

A fall in mining export volumes has blown out the trade deficit to $3.3 billion in October.

Consulting firm Deloitte has picked ten trends which it says will dominate the mining industry in 2016, including further pressure for producers to reduce costs and adoption of innovations from other industries.

Southern Gold has cancelled plans to conduct a capital raising to offshore investors, while Norwest Energy amended the terms of its own raising just hours after it was announced to the market.

Perth-based explorer Goldphyre Resources has entered into an agreement to purchase a large area of potash-prospective land near Kalgoorlie, which is owned by prominent prospector Mark Creasy.

BHP Billiton plans to almost halve its costs at Olympic Dam over the next two years but says it will double capacity over the long term.

Southern Cross Electrical Engineering has recruited NRW Holdings chief operating officer, Graeme Dunn, to lead the company as its new managing director.

Decmil Group has continued to diversify its business from the struggling resources sector by acquiring Osborne Park-based telecommunications solutions provider SC Services.

Sandalwood producer TFS Corporation has more than doubled its quarterly net profit as it revalued trees and sold plantations.

The chairman of engineering contractor Calibre Group told shareholders that he would step down after the company completed its delisting from the ASX, despite being up for re-election at a general meeting today.

Gold miner Northern Star Resources is taking the opportunity of a general downturn in mining to reduce its costs, while managing director Bill Beament expects there will be great opportunities for small and mid cap companies in the next few years.

A definitive feasibility study on potash explorer Danakali's Colluli project in Africa has found a 30 per cent reduction in development costs to $US298 million ($A415 million).

Mincor Resources founder and managing director David Moore has announced plans to step down from his role from early next year, but will remain with the company as deputy chairman.

A local geologist and company director is launching a website for trading excess mining equipment, joining similar operations aiming to establish a secondary market for the industry.

Caravan and accommodation manufacturer Fleetwood Corporation has foreshadowed a first-half loss of $5 million, while also announcing that its chairman and one of its long-serving directors intend to leave the board.

Indigenous contracting in the Pilbara is getting more competitive, more complicated and arguably more divisive, as players chase a shrinking pool of work.

Mineral sands explorer Sheffield Resources has raised $5 million for its Thunderbird project, and plans to bring in an additional $2 million via a share purchase plan.

Sodexo has been shortlisted with two other companies to manage all of Rio Tinto's camps and other facilities in the Pilbara, in the same week it has been awarded a contract to run Shell's Prelude Floating LNG facility.

Perth-based potash explorer Elemental Minerals has received a proposal from a private equity group for a $US40 million ($A55 million) investment in the business to advance its African assets.

Rod Leonard has stepped down from his position as managing director of engineerig company Lycopodium, with existing board member Peter De Leo stepping into the role.

Evolution Mining says it's close to completing its protracted acquisition of smaller rival Phoenix Gold.

Silver Lake Resources is selling off its non-core assets in the Murchison region, with Metals X acquiring its Comet gold project and Musgrave Minerals agreeing to buy a large portion of its Cue project.

Lithium hopeful Pilbara Minerals has raised $12 million in an oversubscribed placement to fund ongoing work at its flagship Pilgangoora project east of Port Hedland.

Perth-based Indigenous Construction Resource Group is poised to become a bigger player in the mining services sector after its chairman, Clinton Wolf, lured NRW Holdings founder and former managing director Jeff McGlinn out of retirement.

BC Iron says it's doing okay in the face of falling iron ore prices and might even diversify into gold or other metals in the future.

Mining services contractor Sedgman has revealed that its major shareholder, CIMIC Group, is seeking greater influence over its operations, following its shock vote against the re-election of three independent directors, raising more questions about Cimic's plans for Perth contractor Macmahon Holdings.

Former corporate lawyer Ian Cochrane has joined the board of Ausdrill as deputy chairman, adding to a suite of board positions on the private companies of some of Perth's wealthiest families.

NRW Holdings chairman Ian Burston has announced plans to step down, while also announcing a remuneration review that will include chief executive Julian Pemberton, whose annual pay is substantially higher than his peers.

A Perth jeweller has used the launch of her first men's collection to call on the mining industry to open its production lines to Western Australia's creative community.