Mining

Nickel miner Western Areas says it has awarded an offtake agreement to Jinchuan Group, building on a five-year relationship with the Chinese nickel producer.

A mix of both residential and fly-in fly-out workforces is necessary to keep mines competitive, industry giant says.

BC Iron has shed three board members, including its first managing director, to help reduce costs as iron ore prices plunge.

Shares in Perth-based junior Lucapa Diamond Company have surged on news it has signed a 35-year licence to mine alluvial diamonds at the Lulo diamond concession in Angola.

Mining giant Woodside Petroleum will expand its presence off the Moroccan coast after entering into a contract with the country's national oil company for a licence to explore another block of the Doukkala basin.

Mount Gibson Iron has placed its shares in a trading halt amid ongoing problems at its Koolan Island mine.

Mining services business Ausdrill is slicing $28 million off its revenue forecast after a customer decided to postpone operations in Africa.

Iron ore prices have slumped to a fresh five-year low, due to an oversupply of the commodity and a slowdown in demand from China.

Oil prices have tumbled, with the US benchmark down 2.2 per cent, on expectations that the OPEC cartel will not agree to cut output despite ample global supplies.

Gold prices have edged higher, after a day of shuffling between gains and losses as two sets of economic data gave varying pictures of the state of US recovery.

NRW Holdings chairman Ian Burston has told shareholders the contractor will not be "jerked around by anybody" after revealing it is in a dispute over its largest project at Roy Hill.

MZI Resources has signed a deal to sell most of the high value titanium dioxide production from its Keysbrook mineral sands project to US-based DuPont Titanium Technologies, and is still looking for a buyer for the balance.

Global oil prices have fallen following a choppy session amid scepticism that OPEC would move aggressively to lift prices this week.

Gold prices have eased from a three-week high as investors weigh the likely path of global monetary policy.

A new report from BIS Shrapnel has forecast a surge in mining production over the next four years as the mining industry’s focus shifts away from the investment and construction phase of the boom.

A downturn in mining activity has contributed to a 40 per cent fall in half year profit for laboratory services company ALS, but it expects earnings to grow in the current quarter.

WA Police have confirmed reports they are investigating allegations of fraud against billionaire Clive Palmer, using material supplied by his estranged business partner Citic Pacific Mining.

Western Australian resources companies are increasingly looking to private equity players for funding as an alternative to traditional capital raisings, with more than $300 million in deals just this month.

Mining explorer Heron Resources has been forced to hold a spill of its board of directors after suffering a shareholder revolt at its annual general meeting.

BHP Billiton says it is upping the stakes in its efforts to grow production and cut costs, while also announcing more details of the management line-up for the company it plans to create from its proposed demerger.

Gold prices have closed at their highest level in nearly three weeks, spurred by a drop in the US dollar and tensions in Eastern Europe and the Middle East.

Sandfire Resources managing director Karl Simich said reports in Fairfax today that its major shareholder, South Korean steel giant Posco, was attempting to offload its 15 per cent stake were mischievous.

Gindalbie Metals chairman Keith Jones has told shareholders at today’s annual general meeting that the last twelve months had been “confronting” for the company, and “as close to a perfect storm as one can get”.

Abundant supply is driving commodity prices lower, but the good news is that Chinese demand for Australian resources will continue as its economy evolves, the Reserve Bank of Australia says.

Andrew Forrest bought $11 million worth of shares in his Fortescue Metals Group when their value hit a five-year low this week.

Two Melbourne-based foreign exchange brokerage founders have been named the Ernst & Young 2014 Australian Entrepreneurs of the Year, with Aurora Oil and Gas founder Jonathan Stewart also being named one of six category winners.

Gold prices have fallen for a second day as investors refocus on the prospect of higher interest rates from the Federal Reserve.

Outgoing Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation chief executive Megan Clark will join mining giant Rio Tinto's board of directors.

BHP Billiton chairman Jac Nasser has told shareholders the company's multi-billion dollar plan to demerge some of its assets will benefit them.

Gold prices have extended their declines in aftermarket trading as the Federal Reserve's meeting minutes quashed any hopes the central bank could delay raising interest rates.

Oil prices in New York have finished little changed on a mixed US inventory report as Morgan Stanley analysts said they expect OPEC to take action to defend prices.

An uncertain future for Pluton Resources’ Cockatoo Island iron ore project has led Watpac Civil & Mining to flag a hit to its net profit of between $2 million and $4 million for the 2015 financial year.