Mining

Gold and nickel producer Independence Group has posted a 264 per cent increase in profit for the six months to December, on the back of increased production from its Jaguar and Tropicana operations and at lower costs.

Northern Minerals has attracted a Chinese-based funding partner to provide up to $49.5 million for its flagship Browns Range heavy rare earths project near Halls Creek.

Woodside Petroleum plans to cut more than 300 jobs this year as it slashes expenditure following a sharp fall in the oil price.

World oil prices have risen, reversing earlier losses, as traders kept an eye on the crisis in crude exporter Libya.

Gold prices have fallen, with thinner volumes seen as the market approaches the Lunar New Year.

Perth-based mining services company Ausdrill will take a pre-tax hit of up to $220 million due to falling commodity prices and slowing mining activity, while also disclosing the loss of a big contract in Africa.

Gekko Systems co-founder Elizabeth Lewis-Gray has been appointed chair of a new 'mining growth centre', which is part of a $189 million federal government initiative designed to encourage commercially-focused research and development activity.

Gold producer Northern Star Resources is calling the past six months a defining period for the company, with a combination of strong growth in production, lower costs and increased free cashflow.

Mineral sands miner Iluka Resources has sunk from an $18.5 million profit to a $62.5 million full year loss but insists its financial health is sound.

Gina Rinehart's Hancock Prospecting has reached a settlement with Wright Prospecting over access to their joint venture documents.

Mount Gibson Iron will look to its Extension Hill project for an answer to its $870 million first-half loss, which was the result of price falls and interruptions to work at its Koolan Island iron ore mine in the Pilbara.

Fortescue Metals Group has slashed its dividend after suffering an 81 per cent fall in first-half profit on the back of sharply lower iron ore prices.

Gold prices have risen as investors seek shelter from the uncertainty surrounding Greek debt talks and prepare for a slower week due to the Lunar New Year holiday in China.

New co-working area MineSpace is gearing up to open a portal designed to reduce costs and improve access to software for geoscience consultants and contractors.

Resources-focused TSG Consulting has embarked on a diversification and expansion plan in response to a growing demand from companies trying to unlock the secrets of big data.

Chinese-backed iron ore miner Top Iron has signed contracts with Brookfield Rail and Aurizon as it prepares to ship its first exports from Geraldton by March.

Automotive and aerospace equipment developer Orbital Corporation’s majority owned mine site safety product Remsafe has secured a $2 million order from a major Western Australian iron ore mining company.

Shares in drilling services company Imdex jumped today on news of some financial success during challenging times for the exploration sector.

Mirabela Nickel shares nearly doubled in value today after the miner announced improved December quarter results and released a strategic review, which forecast an increase in production and lower costs at its flagship Santa Rita mine in Brazil.

West Perth gold explorer Orinoco Gold is aiming to become a gold producer in 2015, after announcing a $14 million package to commence production at its Cascavel project.

Facing a slowdown in mining-related construction work, indigenous contractors are diversifying into new fields, establishing joint ventures and highlighting their Aboriginal credentials. Click through to also see our BNiQ list of 25 major indigenous contractors in WA.

An exploding tyre has killed one mine worker and seriously injured another man at a central Queensland coal mine.

Australia's largest rail freight hauler Aurizon is continuing to focus on boosting shareholder returns, with its latest profit bolstered by major cost-cutting measures and future spending on growth projects dependent on a recovery in commodity prices.

Gold prices have risen as investors sought shelter from the uncertainty surrounding Greek debt talks and prepared for a slower week due to the Lunar New Year holiday in China.

Chile-focused gold miner Lachlan Star has been placed into administration after it was unable to complete negotiations for the sale of its major subsidiary.

Perth-based explorers Pura Vida Energy and Primary Gold have announced their intention to raise capital to fund their respective projects.

The Australian Petroleum Production and Exploration Association has hit back at claims that members of the DomGas Alliance have supply concerns amid ongoing uncertainty over the North West Shelf joint marketing agreement.

Oil and gas producer Beach Energy has flagged a $166 million writedown on the value of its assets, as a result the dramatic slide in global oil prices.

Resources sector services company Tempo Australia has been granted approval for variations for its existing contract with Rio Tinto, increasing its potential value by $11 million.

Balamara Resources has announced plans to delist from the Australian Securities Exchange after citing the high cost of maintaining its listing and an inability to raise new capital.

Queensland-based contractor Goodline has been brought onto the Roy Hill iron ore project to finish work left incomplete following the termination of Laing O’Rourke’s $200 million plus contract earlier this week.

Gold miner Newcrest has flagged the possible sale of the Telfer mine in Western Australia, one of its main assets.